Rise of Seduction
by Amanda Marie Johnson
Summary: Just what the title says. Buffy's going out w Riley, her twin sis, Faith thinks he's not the right guy for her. She meets Spike, stuff happens, please rr
1. Welcome to Sunnydale

HEY! THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME THANKS FOR READING. THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T I'VE WRITTEN OTHER STORIES SUCH AS LOVE AND LIES, IF ONLY FOR LOVE AND POWERFULLY HELPLESS, CHECK 'EM OUT! PLEASE R/R THANKS!  
  
"Buffy get up," Faith said to her twin sister Elizabeth.  
"Hmm" Buffy said and turned away from Faith.  
"Elizabeth Anne Summers we're going to be late again, get your ass out of bed" the sixteen year old brunette said as she put her hands on her hips.  
"I'm up" Buffy said, turning to face Faith.  
"So, have fun last night?" Faith smiled as Buffy went over to her closet and got out a cute, but hot outfit to wear. a dark read leather skirt and a black spaghetti strapped tank top with her red leather jacket to match the skirt.  
"Yeah. . .you know same old same old" Buffy said.  
"Right" Faith said still smiling. She also went to her closet and got out an outfit. A pair of black leather pants and a red halter-top to match. "I saw you and Riley all hot last night, well you were anyway, what's his deal?"  
"Riley's. . ." Buffy said trying to put a label on her boyfriend.  
"Boring?" Faith offered.  
"No, he's just not into. . ."  
"Having fun?" Faith obtained again.  
"Okay, we're gone talking about me, how was your night?" Buffy asked. Buffy and Faith were juniors in high school and pretty much ran it. Buffy's boyfriend Riley was the exact opposite of Buffy. He was good and wholesome and Buffy was. . .well let's just say she didn't get kicked out her old school in L.A. for chewing gum.  
"Fine" Faith said. Both girls finished getting dressed and walked downstairs to find their mother and younger sister Dawn sitting at the island in the kitchen eating breakfast.  
"Hey girls, sleep well?" Joyce asked.  
"Sure" Buffy said. The girls sat with their mom and Dawn and ate. Afterward they got ready to go.  
"My turn to drive B" Faith said and ran to the car their mother and father bought them. It was a 1998 convertible, which was red.  
"No" Buffy said and rushed after her.  
"Yes it is, you drove to the Bronze last night, it's my turn" Faith said.  
"Fine" Buffy said and handed over the keys. They always fought over who got to drive, which was pretty much the only thing they fought about.  
"Come on brat, let's go" Faith said to Dawn.  
"Don't call me that" Dawn said and got into the back of the car. Dawn was ten and in fifth grade.  
"Okay girls have a good day, and-" Joyce began, but all three of her daughters cut her off.  
"Drive safe" the all said in unison.  
"Yes" Joyce said.  
"Will do mom" Faith said and she drove away. They dropped Dawn off at her school and then preceded to their own. Once there they parked the car and went inside to find their friends.  
"Yo" Faith said as they reached Willow, Cordelia, Xander, Tara, Oz and Riley.  
"Hey" Willow greeted them.  
"Hi Buffy" Riley said.  
"Hey" Buffy smiled and kissed him. Faith rolled her eyes at them. Riley was always so quiet. He was just too. . .good.  
"You guys, Bronze tonight?" Xander said.  
"Ooh, yeah cause that's what we do every day what ends in 'y'" Tara joked.  
"Of course we're Bronzing tonight" Faith said. "I'm gonna look hot."  
"You always do" Buffy said, Faith smiled at her.  
"You know it's weird, you guys are twins, but you don't look any alike, I mean, Buffy has blonde hair, Faith has brown, Buffy's eyes are green, Faith's are brown, Buffy's 5' 3'' and Faith's 5'5'', the only thing you two have in common is that you're both badasses" Willow said.  
"Well, I look like mom, and Faith looks like dad" Buffy said.  
"Who do you think Dawn looks like?" Faith asked.  
"Um. . .mom, she has mom's hair, but she has dad's eye, like me, you have mom's eyes" Buffy said, suddenly the bell rang.  
"Come on, we have to go to class" Faith said and took Xander and Willow's hands and led them away.  
"We should go too" Cordelia said and she left with Tara and Oz. Buffy and Riley were left alone.  
"Shouldn't you be in class too" Riley asked. He was a senior and he had a free period.  
"I should be" Buffy said and put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Doesn't mean I'm going to follow the rules." She kissed him again.  
"Maybe you should go" he said. She frowned and then kissed him again.  
"Fine" she pouted and left.  
  
**********************  
  
"Dad I don't see why we have to move to this soddin' town" Spike complained.  
"William I told you, it's going to be good for you to be in America, and besides, after the divorce your mother and I decided that some American life would do you good for you" Rupert Giles said to his son.  
"Dad, for one, stop calling me William, I go by Spike and two, do you blame me for the divorce?" Spike asked.  
"Of course not, and I will not call you Spike, you'll just have to deal with me calling you the name your mother and I gave you" Giles said.  
"Fine, you'll have to deal with the fact that I hate coming here" Spike said as his father pulled up to the school.  
"All right, have a good day, and don't get in trouble like in England please" Giles said.  
"Yeah, yeah" Spike said and got out of the car and walked into the school and into the attendance office.  
"Can I help you?" the secretary asked.  
"Yeah, Sp- I mean William Giles" Spike said, rolling his eyes at the name.  
"Okay, one moment" she said and printed out Spike's schedule. "Here you are."  
"Thanks" Spike said.  
"Just sign in" she said. Spike did and he went to his first class.  
"Hi, I'm William, this is supposed to be my class" Spike said.  
"Oh, yes of course, hello" the teacher said.  
"Hey" he said.  
"Okay William-" she began.  
"Uh, call me Spike, please" Spike said.  
"Fine, Spike let me get your card" the teacher said and Spike followed her to her desk.  
"Oh, my, god" another one of Buffy's friends, Hannah said, looking at Spike.  
"What?" Buffy asked.  
"Look at that guy" Hannah said. Buffy looked over to Spike and just starred at him. He was so hot. With bleached blonde hair and dressed in all black.  
"Ooh, de-lish" Hannah smiled.  
"Yeah" Buffy said, unemotional.  
"You don't think so?" Hannah asked.  
"He's. . .mannish" Buffy said.  
"Oh please, mannish, come on Buffy, a girl like you, you'd have to be dying to nail a guy like that" Hannah said.  
"Okay, one, what do you mean a girl like me? And two, I'm not a slut, I don't sleep around" Buffy said.  
"Okay, sorry" Hannah said, giving up.  
"Spike you can take a seat next to Buffy, Buffy raise your hand" the teacher said. Buffy's heart jumped a little, but she didn't know why. she slowly raised her hand and he came over and sat next to her.  
"All right, I'll be right back in a minute" the teacher said.  
"Hey" Spike said to Buffy.  
"Hi" Buffy said back.  
"So, I don't really. . .know my way around this, dreadful place, do you think you could show me around, or do you know anyone who could?" Spike asked.  
"I could do it, you could hang out with me and my sister and friends" Buffy said.  
"Sure" Spike said. Soon the class was over and Buffy and Spike walked to the cafeteria.  
"Hey" Buffy said to Faith.  
"Hey B, who's your friend?" Faith asked.  
"Oh, this is Spike, Spike this is my twin sister Faith" Buffy said.  
"Twin? You two don't look alike" Spike said.  
"Fraternal" Buffy said.  
"Oh" Spike said.  
"Oh, here comes the rest of the gang" Faith said. "Hey guys."  
"Hey" Cordelia smiled. "Who's the hottie?" she whispered to Faith as Buffy talked to Spike.  
"His name is Spike, I don't know anything else" Faith whispered back. "So, we still Bronzing tonight B?"  
"Hell yeah" Buffy said.  
"Uh, what that?" Spike asked.  
"Oh, the Bronze is the club we hang out at" Buffy said.  
"Cool?" Spike asked.  
"Very" Buffy said.  
"I'll be the judgment of that" Spike smirked. Suddenly Riley came up.  
"Hey" he said.  
"Hi Riley" Buffy said and kissed him. "Uh Ri this is Spike."  
"Hey, nice to meet you" Riley said.  
"Yeah, ditto" Spike said arrogantly. Buffy took Riley's hand.  
"Come on, let's go, Spike, we'll see you tonight at the Bronze?" Buffy asked.  
"Yeah" Spike said.  
"Come on Ri, let's go" Buffy said and pulled him away.  
The end of the day came and now it was eight o'clock. Eight o'clock on a Friday night only meant one thing.  
"Bronzing with the links, man this is the best thing to do" Faith said as she came out of the bathroom. She had just taken a shower.  
"Yeah, but then again it's the only thing to do" Buffy said, getting out the outfit she intended to wear.  
"Hey, what's up?" Faith asked.  
"Nothing" Buffy said.  
"B, I'm your sister, your twin sister, and I know you better than anyone, so what's up?" Faith prodded.  
"Nothing, it's really nothing. . .it's just. . .Riley he. . .he doesn't want me" Buffy said.  
"What do you mean?" Faith asked, putting on her red leather pants.  
"I've been. . .ready for a while now, I've told him and he. . .he just won't" Buffy said.  
"Oh, you mean. . .?" Faith asked.  
"Yeah" Buffy said.  
"You mean you haven't. . .?" Faith asked.  
"No!" Buffy said.  
"Right, so why do you think he's going all virgin Mary on you?" Faith asked.  
"I don't know, maybe I'm just not. . .desirable enough for him" Buffy said.  
"Oh please B, come on he's. . .maybe he's scared" Faith said.  
"Of what?" Buffy asked.  
"I don't know, try talking to him about it, I mean maybe he just wants to wait for marriage" Faith said.  
"I don't think it's that, I mean if it was I would be wigging like this, h-he. . .just seemed like he wasn't interested, like I was too bad for him or something. I mean I love Riley and I just. . .I don't know" Buffy finally gave up on the subject.  
"Okay B, some sisterly advice, find a new guy, like Spike for instance" Faith said. Faith smirked when she saw her sister's eyes widen.  
"W-why would I want Spike?" Buffy asked and turned around. "Tie this." Faith went over to her and tied the black leather halter-top she was wearing. If there was one thing these sister were known for it was wearing leather, lots and lots of leather.  
"Because I can tell you're hot for him, there" Faith said and finished tying the shirt.  
"Thanks, and I'm not hot for him okay, I love Riley" Buffy said.  
"Sweetie it's not about love okay, it's about seduction, and you could use some of that right about now" Faith said. Buffy looked at Faith and then turned around and looked in the mirror at herself. She was wearing a black leather skirt that was about two and a half inches below the knee and cut triangularly at the bottom and a black halter-top that was only closed in the back by a tie. Faith was wearing a short black leather miniskirt and a black see through top with a white tank top underneath.  
"We look pretty hot huh?" Buffy said.  
"Pst yeah" Faith said, and her and Buffy laughed. They put on their boots, which surprise, were also leather and got their purses and went downstairs.  
"Bye mom" Buffy said.  
"Yeah, be back at one" Faith said. On the weekends their curfew was one and on school nights it was ten.  
"Okay, have fun" Joyce said. "And-"  
"Be careful" both Buffy and Faith said together.  
"Exactly" Joyce said.  
"Sure thing, see ya" Buffy said and they left.  
"Well Dawnie, guess it's just you and me" Joyce said and put a movie in the VCR.  
Buffy and Faith arrived at the Bronze shortly after and found their friends.  
"Hey" Buffy said.  
"Hey guys, wow you look amazing" Willow said.  
"Thanks Will, you too" Faith said.  
"Uh, where's-" Buffy began.  
"Spike? He's over there" Faith smiled and pointed to the bleached blonde hottie talking to some people.  
"Actually I was gonna say Riley, but maybe I should say hello, it would be polite, I mean we did invite him here" Buffy said.  
"Mmm-hmm, go with that theory" Faith said. Buffy shoved Faith in the arm playfully before going over to him.  
"Hey" she said.  
"Hey, this place is. . ." Spike said.  
"Hip?" Buffy asked.  
"Predictable, typical American teenage hangout" Spike said.  
"Well buster you're not living in Australia or wherever it is that you-" Buffy began.  
"England" Spike confirmed.  
"Fine, you're not living there anymore, you're living in America, with American teenagers, you're going to have to contend with our customs and things if you want to survive here" Buffy told him.  
'Okay fine, I believe that when music comes on you dance, some things are the same wherever you are, do you want to dance?" Spike asked as a slow song came on, Buffy's favorite.  
"S. . .sure" Buffy said.  
"Let's go then" he said and stuck out his hand and she took it and he led her to the middle of the dance floor. She was kind of uneasy dancing with him like this, partly because she didn't know him that well and partly because she was afraid Riley would be jealous. She stayed at a safe distance at first, but as they began to dance she moved closer to him, really not noticing it. Before she knew it she had her head on his shoulder and her eyes were closed. She held her close as well as they glided along the dance floor.  
"Wow, look at them" Willow said.  
"She never listens to me, I told her she had a thing for him" Faith said.  
"Well just because she's dancing with him doesn't necessarily mean that she-" Tara started.  
"Yes it does" the rest of the gang said.  
"Yes it does' Tara acknowledged. The song ended and Buffy looked into Spike's eyes. He did have beautiful eyes. suddenly she realized what she was doing and pulled away.  
"I-I should look for Riley" she said and walked away. He smiled after her. He decided.  
"She's going to be mine." Buffy walked back over to the crowd waiting for her and receive many looks.  
"What?" she asked innocently.  
"What do you mean what? Come on B we all saw you out there with the leather hottie, dancing away" Faith said, making a swaying motion to indicate dancing. Buffy pushed her.  
"Stop that, it was nothing, he asked me to dance and I did, no big" Buffy said and walked away.  
"Yeah, no big" Faith said, skeptically to the rest of the gang. She looked toward the direction Spike was. "Welcome to Sunnydale" she said. 


	2. Returning the feeling?

HEY! SO, DID YOU LIKE THE FIRST CHAPTER? I HOPE SO. ANYWAY I KNOW I JUST STARTED THIS STORY, AND I HAVE OTHER THAT NEED UPDATED, AND I WILL, BUT I'M THINKING OF STARTING ONE OR TWO NEW ONES. IDEAS KEEP POPPING UP IN MY HEAD AND I CAN'T IGNORE AN IDEA ONCE IT HITS ME SO. . .I DON'T KNOW WE'LL SEE. ANYWAY PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!  
  
` Spike flipped through the pictures of an old Sunnydale High yearbook. He was looking for Buffy's picture. He sat in the library wondering if she was wondering about him. The way she danced with him the other night had to mean something right? Finally he came to her picture. She looked so. . .hot.  
"Hey Spike" Buffy said. He quickly shut the book and looked at her.  
"H-hey" he said.  
"Whatcha looking at" she said as she sat next to him. He looked at her. She wasn't wearing leather today. She was wearing a light blue frilly skirt that was sequined with blue shiny beads. She had on a white tank top with a blue jean jacket over that with the sleeves rolled up. Her hair was curled.  
'Uh. . .just. . ." Spike tried to make an excuse.  
'Oh, the yearbook, let me see" she said and took the yearbook and turned to her picture, Faith's was right afterward. "God I looked awful that day didn't I? 'No you looked amazing' he thought to himself. He couldn't believe he had a crush on her and he hadn't even known her for forty-eight hours yet.  
'Um. . .no, you looked fine" he said.  
"Well thank you, even though I know you're just being sweet, not that I mind though" Buffy said.  
"Uh. . .hey don't you have a boyfriend or something, where was he the other night?" Spike asked.  
"Oh, I asked, he said that he had too much homework" Buffy said, Spike scoffed. "What?"  
"Oh nothing, it's just that. . .you know if I had a girlfriend as hot as you I'd never let her out of my sight" Spike said. Buffy smiled at that.  
"He's just not into-" Buffy commenced.  
"Having fun?" Spike asked, raising an eyebrow at her.  
"That's what my sister said too, you sure you two aren't the twins?" Buffy smiled.  
"So, how long have you two been going out, you and Riley I mean?" Spike asked.  
"A year and a half. My family moved here from L.A., well my mom, Faith, our little sister Dawn and me anyway, after my parents go divorced, when I was in the eight grade. Then I started dating Parker. He seemed sweet, he acted sweet, but he wasn't, he dumped me for someone who would sleep with him" Buffy said.  
"Oh so you haven't. . .?" Spike asked.  
"No, god why does everyone think I'm some kind of slut?" Buffy asked.  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you luv" Spike said.  
"It's okay, anyway. . .god you don't care do you, why am I telling you this" Buffy chuckled.  
"No, no, go on" Spike said.  
"Okay, I was devastated, I thought I loved him, it was at the beginning of my sophomore year, Parker and I had been going out for two years, after that I thought I'd never get over it, then I met Riley, people say that we don't fit together, but I just. . .I like that he's sweet, I don't want to get hurt again" Buffy said.  
"So, are you just dating him because you feel safe with him?" Spike asked.  
"No, not exactly, I love him, I do, I just. . .yes I guess a part of me wants to keep that safeness, but I'm not using him or anything" Buffy said. "Anyway, enough about me, what's your story?"  
"What makes you think I have a story pet?" Spike asked.  
"Everyone has a story" Buffy said. Spike sighed. Should he share his life with her? She did with him.  
"Okay" he said. "Well I moved here because my parents got divorced."  
"You too huh? It sucks doesn't it?" Buffy said.  
"I guess, but in some ways it's better" Spike said.  
"They don't fight anymore" Buffy said.  
"You can get some sleep knowing that no doors will be slamming or glasses will be breaking" Spike said.  
"Everything's just. . ." Buffy said.  
"Better" Spike and Buffy said at the same time. They both smiled.  
"I guess we have something in common luv" Spike said.  
"I guess we do" Buffy said. "So, what about you? Have any exes you regret dating?"  
"A couple, Drusilla for one" Spike said.  
"Drusilla? What kind of name is that" Buffy smiled.  
"I thought I loved her, did actually she just. . ." Spike said.  
"Just what?" Buffy asked.  
"Was bleeding crazy" Spike said. Buffy smiled. He looked at her. She was beautiful. The way she smiled at him. She was like an angel. He got lost in her eyes. She had beautiful green eyes. He just stared at her. She soon got a weird look on her face.  
"What?" she asked, afraid that she had something in her teeth or something.  
"Uh, nothing, nothing, I just zoned out there for a moment. Look Buffy I was wondering-" he began, but Riley came up and interrupted.  
"Hey Buffy" he said with that holier than thou smile.  
"Riley, hey" Buffy said and kissed him. 'Sodding wanker' Spike thought. "You remember Spike right?"  
"Uh yeah, sure, hey" Riley said.  
"Hey mate" Spike said.  
"Buffy, tonight, do you want to do something?" Riley asked. 'Say no, please say no' Spike thought.  
"Sure" Buffy said. "Like what?"  
"Anything, as long as I'm with you" Riley smiled. Spike rolled his eyes. God this bloke was a real pansy.  
"Okay, pick me up at seven" Buffy said and got up and kissed him on the cheek. "All right I have to go, see ya Spike, bye Riley.'  
"See ya" Spike said.  
"Bye" Riley said and Buffy walked away. Riley stood there for a second uncomfortably before "excusing" himself and leaving. Spike sighed. God he hated that guy. He didn't even know him and he hated him. Partly because he was so boring and good. And partly because he had Buffy. He sighed and got up. He put the book back and left the library. He wished he had a friend he could talk to about his feelings for Buffy. He certainly couldn't tell any of the guys she hung out with. They were her friends, not his. He began walking down the hall and then stopped when he saw a flier for a band that read: New band member needed. Must have singing or guitar abilities. Must have the look also. We are a rock band. If you think this is for you meet us at the gym at 3:00. A band, maybe that would get Buffy to notice him. He took the flier off the wall and folded it and put it in his pocket. He would go to the auditions this afternoon and hopefully make the cut.  
Three o'clock came quickly and Spike walked to the gym. He had been in a small band when he was in England called Torture Chamber. This band, Dingoes Ate my Baby seemed less punk, and more rock. Spike didn't mind the change though. He waited until it was his turn. He auditioned and then waited for the four guys, Devon, Oz, Xander and Tommy to review. He came a little late so he didn't see the people who came before him. He just hoped that they weren't as good as him.  
"Okay, we have picked two people to be in the band, we need another guitarist and a singer, so, for the singing part we have chosen, Spike Giles" Devon said. Spike tried not to show much emotion. He didn't want them to think he was weird. He just nodded thankfully.  
"And for the guitar part we have chosen. . .Riley Finn" Xander said. Spike's eyes widened. 'What? When did he try out!' Spike thought.  
"Thanks to the rest who tried out, better luck next time" Oz said. Spike and Riley went up to the stage.  
"Hey Ri, man I didn't know you had such a talent for the guitar" Devon said.  
"Well I really didn't have an interest in it before, but I thought it would be fun, and I thought Buffy would like it" Riley said.  
"Spike, welcome to the band man" Oz said.  
"Thanks" Spike said. He looked at Riley and as usual he had that holier than thou smile on his face. Spike cringed when he saw that smile.  
"We'll start practicing tomorrow at five o'clock okay fellows" Tommy said.  
"Cool" Riley said, trying to sound band-ish, but it didn't sound too good coming from him.  
"Fine" Spike said, coyly. He walked away. Spike went home afterward and there was a car in the driveway that he didn't recognize. He went inside and there sitting with his dad was Buffy with Faith, their mom and their sister.  
"William oh good you're home, you know Buffy and Faith I presume" Giles said.  
"Uh, yeah, hey" Spike said.  
"Hi" Buffy smiled.  
"Uh, This is Joyce Summers and Faith and Buffy's younger sister Dawn" Giles said.  
"Nice to meet you both" Spike said.  
"Come, sit, chat" Giles said. Spike went over and sat next to Buffy on the love seat. Faith was sitting in the laz-e-boy chair and Giles, Joyce and Dawn were on the couch. "So Joyce you were telling us why you moved to Sunnydale." Joyce began talking, but Spike didn't hear. He was leaned back in the love seat and he had his head cocked just enough so that he could look at Buffy without her noticing he was staring at her. He would hear bits and pieces of the conversation, his father telling them stories of England and it became too much for him, sitting next to Buffy that he excused himself and went to his room. He turned his stereo up so that he didn't hear anything that was going on upstairs. Soon after he heard the door open and someone come downstairs. He turned down his music and looked towards the stairs to find Buffy coming.  
"Hey" she said.  
"Hey, what brings you down here?" Spike asked, lighting a cigarette.  
"Just wondering why you skipped out so suddenly, is something wrong? You don't mind us stopping by do you?" She asked, coming closer.  
'Not at all pet, just don't like the boring small talk is all, my pop tells the same bloody stories to everyone, they get old after a while" Spike said and puffed on the cigarette.  
"Yeah, same with my mom, I think that before you have kids they give you this manual that tells you, A) how to embarrass you children as much as possible, and B) how to tell the most boring stories that no one cares about but you" Buffy said. Spike chuckled. "You know, those thins will kill you, plus they turn your teeth a really gross yellow color."  
"Hmm, is that right" he smirked, puffed it one more time and put it out in the tray. "There, better?"  
"Much" she smiled. "I hear that you made the band, that's great."  
"Yeah, I guess, your honey made it too you know" Spike said.  
"Yeah I know" Buffy said, not to impressed.  
"What's wrong?" he asked as she sat on his bed, he back against the wall, his against the headboard.  
"I don't' know" she sighed. "It just seems like. . .Riley's only doing this to impress me, this isn't him, h-he doesn't like this sort of thing, being the band type. He'd rather-"  
"Write a thousand page essays and suck up to the teach?" Spike asked. Buffy looked at him.  
"No, he just. . .he's safe" Buffy said.  
"Yeah, you've said that, if I share my opinion, you promise not to get mad?" Spike asked.  
"Sure" Buffy said.  
"You two don't fit together, you should be with someone like-" he began, but was interrupted by Faith coming down the stairs.  
  
"Hey, is there a party going on down here I don't know about?" she asked.  
"Nope, Spike and I are just-" Buffy began.  
"Finished" Spike said.  
"O-kay" Faith said. "Well mom, Dawn and I are leaving, you want to come with or. . ."  
"Oh yeah, I have to go home and change, Riley and I are going out tonight" Buffy said and got up. "It was nice talking to you, and congrats on the band."  
"Thanks" Spike said.  
"See ya Spike" Faith said and she wrapped her arm around Buffy's shoulder and they walked up the stairs.  
After arriving home Buffy went upstairs to change. She put on a long black dress that was strapless. She did her hair and Riley came to pick her up, promptly at seven.  
"Hey, you look nice" Riley said.  
"Thanks" Buffy said. He opened the car door for her and she got in. He took her to a very nice restaurant. One that he could never afford. They talked, they danced, and he took her home, kissing her goodnight, so tenderly. She walked inside the house. Her mother and Dawn were already asleep, but knowingly Faith wasn't.  
"Hey B, have fun?" Faith asked. She was sitting on her bed reading a book.  
"Yeah, it was nice" Buffy said and undressed and got into her pajamas.  
"So what did you guys do?" Faith asked.  
"We ate, we danced, that's about it, it was nice" Buffy repeated and climbed into bed, turning off her lamp and closing her eyes.  
"Buffy" Faith said. This surprised Buffy. Faith never called her by her full name. Not unless she was talking about her, or she was concerned.  
"What?" Buffy asked.  
"Are you okay, you seem disappointed, did you think that tonight would be the night?" Faith asked.  
"No" Buffy tired to cover, but her sister knew her all too well. "Yeah, kind of, I shouldn't of thought that though, when Riley makes up his mind about something, it's made up."  
"Why do you want him so bad? I mean you could have pretty much any guy you wanted" Faith said.  
"I don't just want sex Faith, I want someone to want me, someone who loves me, someone who I love, I just wished Riley found me desirable" Buffy said.  
"I'm sure he does, he just. . .wants to wait" Faith said.  
"Maybe, but I don't, I'm ready, and I just. . ." Buffy said. "I don't want to talk about it anymore all right, I'm tired, I want to go to bed."  
"Okay, see you in the morning" Faith said and turned off her lamp and they went to sleep.  
Spike stirred in his sleep. He was dreaming. He rolled over once, and then again.  
  
*Spike's dream*  
  
"Spike. . .I want you, please" Buffy begged and he kissed her furiously. She backed up towards his bed. He was surprised at her actions. "Take me Spike, I need you." He pulled her top over her head and she did the same to his. She laid on the bed waiting for him to ravage her.  
"I want you too Buffy" he said. He captured her mouth in another fiery kiss and she let a low moan escape from her moth and into his. And just as he was about to devour her completely he woke.  
  
*End of Spike's dream*  
  
"Oh bloody hell" he groaned, wanting to fall back sleep. Wanting to see how it ended. Wanting her.  
Buffy was dreaming also. A smile came over her as she curled up.  
"Mmm" she said in her sleep. Someone was kissing her. Kissing her with love, with tenderness.  
  
*Buffy's dream*  
  
The man, whom she didn't see lifted her up to his height. He captured her lips so lovingly. After the kiss ended he planted her back on the ground. She looked up at him with lust in her eyes. she wanted him.  
"Who are you? Riley?" she asked. She wanted to desperately to see his face. It had to be Riley. Who else could it be.  
"Not Riley luv" a deep English accent came from the shadows. Buffy gasped at the sound of the familiar voice. And she awoke form her slumber.  
  
*End of Buffy's dream*  
  
"Oh my god. . .Spike?" Buffy whispered. Did she actually have a romantic dream about him. She hardly knew him. She was in love with someone else. She was in love with Riley. She sighed and laid back down, feelings of confusion and anxiety filling her soul as she tried to drift back to sleep. 


	3. I hope you dance

Buffy walked into the school, really unaware of where she was going. She was so tired. She had gotten pretty much zero sleep last night. After the dream she had she didn't want to be around Spike. She loved Riley and she felt guilty for having a dream about Spike. She had told Faith that she wanted to walk to school. She just had to think. Once entering the school she was met by all of her friends, including Spike and Riley.  
"Hey B, you okay?" Faith asked.  
"Yeah, I just needed some time alone to think that's all" Buffy said and hugged Riley.  
"You sure?" Riley said.  
"Mmm-hmm" Buffy said.  
"Uh, Buffy, I wanted to ask you something, I absolutely suck at this retro dance/show dance thing we're doing in gym, can you help me, you seem to be pretty good at it?" Spike asked.  
"Uh. . .F-Faith's good too" Buffy said nervously.  
"Not as good as you sis, I told him to ask you" Faith said.  
"Oh. . .Uh. . ." Buffy said.  
"Well, what do you say? If you don't want to. . ." Spike said.  
"Um. . .sure" Buffy said.  
"Cool, say tonight" Spike said.  
"Okay" Buffy said and took Faith's hand. "See you guys later." She pulled Faith away from the rest of the gang.  
"What's up?" Faith asked.  
"Are you crazy!" Buffy said.  
"What are you talking about?" Faith asked.  
"You volunteered me, what is the matter with you?" Buffy asked.  
"What do you mean? You just said you didn't mind, and what's wrong with teaching him to dance?" Faith asked.  
"I. . .nothing" Buffy said.  
"No, what's up? Remember, I know you better than anyone, I know when you're lying" Faith said.  
"Okay, but you cannot tell anyone, and I mean no one what I'm about to tell you, not mom, not Dawn, not the gang, especially not Riley or Spike" Buffy said.  
"Okay, agreed, what is it?" Faith asked.  
"I had a dream last night, a-about Spike" Buffy said. Faith's lips curled into a smirk.  
"What kind of a dream?" she smiled.  
"A. . .a romantic sort of one" Buffy said. Faith's smile became bigger.  
"So you are hot for him" she said.  
"No! No, it's just. . .I don't know why I had that dream, but I love Riley okay, I do not have any feelings for Spike what so ever" Buffy said.  
"Okay. . .so what was it about?" Faith asked.  
"What? I'm not going to tell you what it was about" Buffy said.  
"Oh come on B, I'm your sister, your twin sister, please?" Faith said.  
"Look nothing really happened, we just kissed. . .a lot" Buffy said.  
"I think you two would make a great couple you know" Faith said.  
"Stop it, we are not going to get together, I love-" Buffy began.  
"You love Riley, I know, that's beginning to become your theme song, look Riley's a nice guy but. . .he's not your type" Faith said and walked away. Buffy frowned. Why was everyone so damned determine to break her and Riley up?  
  
**********************  
  
"Okay" Buffy said. She was in Spike's room. It was their first lesson. "Where should we start?"  
"Slow dancing or fast?" Spike asked.  
"You already know how to slow dance" Buffy said.  
"No I don't" Spike said.  
"Spike, we danced remember? The first night you came here, we danced, to a slow song, you did fine" Buffy said.  
"I was lucky, I was concentrating on my feet the whole time, I felt so stupid" Spike said and looked down.  
"Yeah well I didn't notice, I thought you were a pro" Buffy said sweetly and looked in his eyes. She caught herself. "Um. . .okay, if you want to do the slow dancing first that's fine, it's your call."  
"So do you want me to pay you for these lessons or something?" Spike asked.  
"No, pay how?" Buffy asked.  
"Money, or. . ." he trailed off. 'We could make out and do other things' he thought. "Um. . .I don't know."  
"You don't have to pay me" Buffy said. "I'm happy to do it."  
"Then why do you seem so irritated and tense for?" Spike asked.  
"I-I'm not" Buffy said. "Let's start, uh you got a stereo?"  
"Yeah, over there, you pick the tune" Spike said. Buffy went over to his stereo and looked through his CDs. There were many bands, Metallica, ACDC.  
"The Sex Pistils?" Buffy asked, arching her eyebrow.  
"What, we could dance to that, it would be kind of naughty but-" Spike said and Buffy cut him off, knowing where he was going.  
"Uh, no" Buffy said. "Hey, I've never heard of. . .Torture Chamber, what's that?"  
"Oh that's my band, well it was" Spike said.  
"You were in a band before? I didn't know that" Buffy said and put the CD in the stereo.  
"H-hey what are you doing?" Spike asked.  
"I want to here, maybe we could dance to this" Buffy said. "You don't have any slow music" Buffy said.  
"All that stuff's Nancy boy music" Spike said.  
"No worries, I have that music, I want to here this" Buffy said and pressed play.  
"When you feel like your life is turning into nothing and you just want to feel something, all you got to do is, cause a little pain, get rid of the torment that's been binding you, cause a little pain, all you have to do is close you eyes and wish-" Spike's voice came loud from the stereo and after a while he turned it off.  
"We can't dance to this" he said.  
"You have a great voice" Buffy smiled sweetly.  
"Really?" he asked.  
"Yeah, sexy" she said. 'Sexy, did she just call me sexy?' Spike thought to himself. 'Sexy, did I just say that?' Buffy thought.  
"Uh, thanks" Spike said.  
"U-um, I have some CDs, uh hold on" Buffy said and pulled out her CD case. She also had Metallica and ACDC. She had some girly music too like Cher and Celine Deon. "Okay, pick." He looked at the girly CDs and smiled.  
"Uh, wouldn't know. . .Celine Deon from. . .Faith hill pet, you pick" he said looked over her CDs.  
"Okay, we'll start with faster dancing, Cher" she said and put the CD in the stereo and pressed play. "All right, come here." He obeyed and went over to her.  
  
YOU'RE STRUTTIN' INTO TOWN LIKE YOUR SLINGIN' A GUN, JUST A SMALL TOWN DUDE WITH A BIG CITY ATTITUDE, HONEY ARE YOU LOOKIN' FOR SOME TROUBLE TONIGHT? WELL ALL RIGHT,  
  
As the song began to play Buffy began to sway to the music. She had both hands over her head and her hips were moving along rhythmically. She moved closer to him and he felt both nervous and embarrassed. She paused the song.  
"Come on there's nothing to be embarrassed about, it's just you and me, and I'm not going to make fun of you, now, all you have to remember is rhythm. You hear the beat of the song and move to it, watch" she said and played it again.  
  
YOU THINK YOU'RE SO BAD DRIVIN' WOMAN FOLK WILD, SHOOT 'EM ALL DOWN WITH A FLASH OF YOUR PEARLY SMILE, HONEY BUT YOU'VE MET YOUR MATCH TONIGHT, OH THAT'S RIGHT  
  
She moved closer to Spike and he joined in. Suddenly he felt very comfortable with her.  
  
YOU THINK YOU'LL KNOCK ME OFF ME FEET,  
  
TILL I'M FLAT ON THE FLOOR,  
  
TILL MY HEART IS CRYING INDIAN AND I'M BEGGIN' FOR MORE,  
  
SO COME ON BABY, COME ON BABY,  
  
COME ON BABY SHOW ME WHAT THAT LOADED GUN IS FOR  
  
He was getting the grip of the whole dancing thing and they were doing very well. Buffy got caught up in the moment and so did he. They were practically groping all over each other.  
  
IF YOU CAN GIVE IT, THEN I CAN TAKE IT,  
  
'CAUSE IF THIS HEART IS GONNA BREAK,  
  
IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT TO BREAK IT,  
  
I KNOW TONIGHT,  
  
SOMEBODY'S GONNA WIN THE FIGHT,  
  
SO IF YOU'RE SO TOUGH,  
  
COME ON AND PROVE IT,  
  
YOUR HEART IS DOWN FOR THE COUNT,  
  
AND YOU KNOW YOU'RE GONNA LOSE IT,  
  
TONIGHT YOU'RE GONNA GO DOWN IN FLAMES, JUST LIKE JESSE JAMES  
  
They were both breathing heavily at this point, both because of the dancing and the song. Suddenly Buffy realized what was happening as they leaned in to kiss each other.  
"U-um, I-I think that's enough for today" Buffy said. 'Did I just almost kiss him!?' she screamed in her head.  
"Oh, okay" he said, disappointed that she was leaving and that she stopped the kiss. Buffy turned off the stereo and got her bag.  
"Uh, I-I'll see you tomorrow at school" she said and quickly left, leaving her CDs behind.  
Buffy arrived home, panicked a bit. She couldn't believe she almost kissed Spike.  
"Hey honey, have fun?" her mom asked when she entered the house.  
"What! Uh, oh, um, no-yes-no, uh. . .it was okay" Buffy said and rushed upstairs.  
"What's her deal?" Dawn asked.  
"No clue" Joyce chuckled. Buffy ran into her and Faith's room and slammed the door, leaning against it once in.  
"Hey B, have fun?" Faith asked.  
"Why does everyone keep asking me that? It was fine" Buffy said and got her things for her shower.  
"Did something happen over there? Did you two. . .?" Faith asked.  
"No! Oh god, no! Why would you think that?" Buffy asked.  
"Don't sound so grossed out B, he's hot" Faith said.  
"I know-I mean. . .shut up" Buffy said and left the room. Faith looked oddly at her sister. After Buffy took her shower she came into the room, dressed in her Winnie the Pooh pajamas and got into bed.  
"B, what's wrong with you?" Faith asked.  
"Nothing? Why?" Buffy asked.  
"Well you're going to bed and it's only eight o'clock" Faith said. "You're like allergic to going to bed early, what's wrong, are you sick, mad at Spike, what?"  
"Okay, but you can't-" Buffy began.  
"Tell anyone, I know, now tell me" Faith said.  
"Okay, well you know that I was teaching Spike to dance, which he's really good at actually, anyway we had the music going and. . .I almost, we almost, we almost kissed" Buffy said. Faith's eyes lit up.  
"Oh my god that's awesome!" Faith said.  
"No it's not, I'm with Riley, I feel awful" Buffy said.  
"Honey look, I wouldn't think it was a good thing if I didn't think it would be good for you, you deserve someone who can make you happy, in every aspect of the word, both mentally and physically" Faith said.  
"Okay Faith, stop, why do you want Spike and I to get together so badly, do you want Riley or something?" Buffy asked.  
"Oh yeah, god I want him so bad, yeah he's the one for me, no, I just want you to be happy that's all" Faith said.  
"I am, so drop it" Buffy said.  
"Okay, fine, but I'm telling you, you two would be great together" Faith said..  
"Did you know Spike was in a band?" Buffy asked.  
"Yeah, he got into Dingoes, I know" Faith said.  
"No, not Dingoes, he had a band in England, it was called Torture Chamber" Buffy told her.  
"Torture Chamber, that's my kind of band" Faith said.  
"He has a great voice," Buffy said.  
"Hmm, well Dingoes are performing at the Bronze next Friday night, I can see for my self, and maybe you and Spike could do some of the dances you taught him" Faith said.  
"I don't think so," Buffy said.  
"Well he's your friend, and he's in the band, if he asks you to dance it would be rude to say no" Faith said and smiled and Buffy turned off her lamp.  
"Goodnight matchmaker" Buffy said and rolled over and went to sleep.  
Spike was sitting in his room thinking of the almost kiss between him and Buffy. God how he wished she hadn't stopped him. He was breaking her down he could feel it. All he had to do was get a little closer and he would have her. Just a couple more "dance" lessons and she would be his. He looked through the CDs she had left. He would take them to her tomorrow. Maybe her preacher boyfriend would get jealous and get mad at her. It wasn't that he wanted to hurt her; it's just that he wanted her so badly. He wanted to be with her. He picked up a pen and began to write. He was writing a song for her and he would sing it Friday night at the Bronze. He entitled it: Desire goes deeper than love. 


	4. Let me have you

Spike walked up to the school and to the gang. Buffy was standing next to Riley and Faith was talking to Tara and Oz. He went over to Buffy.  
  
"Hey" he said.  
  
"H-hi, what's up?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing, um, you left your CDs in my room last night" he said. As he suspected Riley got an expression of jealousy on his face.  
  
"Y-you were in his room?" Riley asked.  
  
"Uh, yeah, I was teaching him to dance and. . .thanks, for bringing them" Buffy said and took the CDs.  
  
"Uh, can we schedule another lesson, say. . .Saturday?" Spike asked.  
  
"Um. . .uh. . ." Buffy said and looked at Riley. "Uh, s-sure, Saturday" Buffy said.  
  
"Thanks, this really helps" Spike said and walked away. Faith followed.  
  
"Spike" she called.  
  
"Yeah?" he said and turned around.  
  
"Can I ask you a question?" Faith asked.  
  
"I guess" he said.  
  
"Do you like my sister?" Faith asked. This question caught him ff guard.  
  
"Uh, no, I mean as a friend sure she's great" Spike said.  
  
"But not as anything else?" Faith asked.  
  
"No, why, does she like me?" Spike asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.  
  
"No, I mean I. . .can you keep a secret?" Faith whispered.  
  
"Sure" Spike said.  
  
"You can't tell Buffy I told you, she'll kick my ass" Faith said.  
  
"Okay" Spike said.  
  
"Cool" Faith said and walked away. Spike smiled. Buffy liked him? This was great. He would ware her down. All he had to do was just. . . He trailed off as she came over to him.  
  
"Hey" she said plainly.  
  
"Hey" he said back.  
  
"What were you and Faith talking about?" Buffy asked. His throat closed up. He wasn't a good liar.  
  
"U-um" he swallowed. "W-we were just talking, you know."  
  
"About what, me-" Buffy asked, but he answered her quickly.  
  
"No" he said.  
  
"You answered a little too quickly" Buffy said.  
  
"Well that's because I know the answer, we weren't, we were talking about, uh the weather" Spike said.  
  
"The weather?" Buffy said skeptically.  
  
"Yeah, you know, whether it's going to rain or not, a-and also about the band, m-my band, you know" he said, trying not to make eye contact.  
  
"Uh-huh. . .well I just wanted to tell you that I'll be over at 2 o'clock on Saturday, is that cool?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Uh, yeah, sure, anytime's fine" Spike said, scratching the back of his head and looking, as if he was looking for someone.  
  
"Okay, well. . .see ya, whenever" she said and back away, before turning and leaving. Spike sighed with relief. He didn't know if she believed him, but at least he didn't have to lie to her anymore. He walked to the gym. He was practicing with the guys.  
  
"Spike, you're here, good, all right, um at the Bronze we're going to alternate, you and Devon, both of you are going to sing" Oz said.  
  
"That's fine with me, actually I wrote a song, do you think we could work that in there?" Spike asked.  
  
"Uh, sure, let's see it" Tommy said. Spike handed him the paper. He looked at it and nodded. "Cool, sounds good."  
  
"Let me see" Devon said and took the paper. He read it. "Yo man is this for any specific girl, 'cause dude I'm tellin' you, chicks really dig the band thing, you could really win her over." Spike thought about that. He had to win Buffy. He was determined to. He had to have her. He craved her, wanted her. "So?"  
  
"Huh?" Spike asked. "Oh, no, it's not for anyone specifically."  
  
"Hey I could write a song too, for Buffy" Riley said. 'God dude, just go away' Spike thought.  
  
"Well, you write it and get the right beat, and we'll play it" Xander said.  
  
"Cool" Riley said, too enthusiastically.  
  
"All right, let's practice" Xander said.  
  
After practice, Spike went home. They practiced the song that he had written and said that it was good. They were going to play it at the Bronze on Friday. He was a little nervous about playing it for her, but he wanted to. He didn't think that she would really know that it was for her, that is unless he told her. He sat in his room reading over the lyrics. They were filled with, not really love, but. . .desire. He didn't actually get to bed until two in the morning. The next day he walked into the school, very tired. He wanted to stay in bed. Just didn't want to be around people today, well except for her. When we walked into the school Faith immediately came up to him.  
  
"Hey punk" she said in a friendly tone with a smile.  
  
"Hey Faith, what's up" he said, not really a question.  
  
"Nothing, just wondering if you changed your mind any about B" Faith said. Spike sighed.  
  
"Look, Faith, I think that it's great that you love your sister so much, but let her fight her own battles and what not. If she likes me so much, let her tell me herself" Spike said.  
  
"That's just the thing, she won't admit that she likes you" Faith said.  
  
"Well then how do you know that she does?" Spike asked.  
  
"Because I know B that's how, I've known her our whole lives. I know when she gets a crush on someone, like this one time when we were in the fifth grade, Buffy had this crush on this guy named Hampton Lucas and I knew, because when I asked her about it she was all 'Uh! No I don't leave me alone' she gets all defensive and stuff. She definitely has a thing for you bro, I'm telling you" Faith said. "You're not interested in her?"  
  
"No, I'm sorry" Spike lied. Faith frowned.  
  
"Well I guess I can't make you, unless I can" Faith smiled, Spike shook his head no. "Fine, just don't tell her I told you all of this, she'd hate me forever."  
  
"Sure thing pet" Spike said. "I have to go, late for Chem. class."  
  
"See ya, oh and can't wait for the performance at the Bronze" Faith said.  
  
Yeah, you do know that pansy boy has a spot in the band too" Spike said.  
  
"Who? Riley?" Faith asked.  
  
"Yeah" Spike said.  
  
"Yeah, it's not him, he's just doing it to impress B, which didn't work by the way, she's actually kind of upset" Faith said.  
  
"Upset, really? Why?" Spike asked intriguingly.  
  
"Because she knows that he just did it to impress her, I mean she thinks it's sweet, but she's mad that he trying to be, you know, not himself. . .you don't like him do you" Faith said.  
  
"Not really, am I thought obvious?" Spike asked.  
  
"Well calling him a pansy boy didn't hide it much" Faith said.  
  
"I don't know it's just the whole, holier than thou attitude thing, he's mixing the bad boy image in with that, those to just do not mix" Spike said.  
  
"Well it works fine for you, the bad boy thing I mean" Faith said.  
  
"Well I don't act like the forth wise man that's why, I'm unruly and I act that way," Spike said. This guy was turning out to be good for her too.  
  
"Fine, but. . ." Faith said, but trailed off when Buffy walked passed. Buffy gave both Spike and Faith a weird look and walked away with Riley. "Think about it." Faith finished her sentence and walked away. Spike smirked and walked away also. He walked to his class and sat in his seat, not really thinking about anything but Buffy. He had to win her over. He had to come up with a plan.  
  
Saturday came very slowly for Spike and very quickly for Buffy. She really didn't want to be there. She was afraid that something would happen. No, it wouldn't, she loved Riley, and nothing was ever going to happen with her and Spike. She walked up the brick steps to the big Victorian house. She looked the house over. She had always wanted to live in a house like this, ever since she was little. She used the big knocker to knock on the door and Giles answered.  
  
"Oh, Buffy what a surprise" he said.  
  
"Hi Mr.- I mean, Giles" Buffy smiled. He had asked her to call him Giles. He didn't like the mister part.  
  
"Are you here to see William?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, he's here right?" Buffy asked. She was surprised at how hopeful her voice sounded.  
  
"Yes, yes, he's in his room, playing that dreadful music, I tell you that it is not music, it's just meaningless sounds coming out of a horribly large machine" Giles said. Buffy smiled. "Come in please." Buffy stepped in and looked around. "You can go ahead downstairs." She opened the basement door and walked downstairs to Spike's room.  
  
"Hey" she said.  
  
"Hey luv, glad you could make it" Spike said and turned off his stereo.  
  
"No, leave it on, I like your band" Buffy said and Spike turned the stereo back on, but turned it way down. "I heard that you got a solo for Friday, that's great."  
  
"Yeah I guess, little nervous though" Spike said.  
  
"What? Why? You have a great singing voice" Buffy assured him.  
  
"Well, it's just that, the song I'm singing, it's for a specific person, and I don't know if she's going to like it" Spike said.  
  
"Oh, she's going to love it" Buffy said and sat on Spike's bed.  
  
"I hope so" Spike smiled.  
  
"Okay, so, should we start with slow dancing today?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Sure" Spike said. Buffy took her CD case out of her bag and began to take a CD out, but Spike stopped her. "No, wait, I have a song." He went over to his entertainment stand where his stereo was and got his CD case and took out a CD.  
  
"What's this?" Buffy asked as Spike put it in and pressed play.  
  
"I did a solo act when I was in England. A slow song. I just wanted to see how my voice sounded when I was acting all lovey-dovey" Spike said.  
  
"Oh, well let's here it" Buffy said. Spike turned to track seven and the song began to play.  
  
"When things don't seem to go as planned, and you think that you're being dealt all the wrong hands just listen to your heart. . .and let it tell you what to do. . .when it seems that everyone wants to get you down and the thing you wear most is a frown just make sure to remember. . .you're there to be you. . .nothing in this world matters if it doesn't make sense to you. . .you have to make your own decisions, don't let them be chosen for you. . .I can give you the previews, but not the ending, you have to listen to the message I am sending, just be yourself. . .and I'll love you" Spike's voice came from the stereo like a song from heaven. Buffy smiled as she felt her heart melt. This was the most beautiful song she had ever heard. She could feel tears form in her eyes and she looked at Spike who looked somewhat embarrassed.  
  
"This song is. . .it's beautiful" Buffy said quietly to him.  
  
"Yeah well, don't tell anyone I wrote this song. . .god I don't want to be known as a pansy" Spike said. Buffy looked at him and smiled.  
  
"No one is going to think that you're a pansy just because you wrote a song for someone you love" she said. "If it was written for me I'd love it." He looked at her suddenly, wanting to tell her that the song he had written for Friday night was for her. That he wanted her, but he refrained. He didn't know how'd she react to that. She moved closer to him and he remained still.  
  
"Come on, let's start" she said, and backtracked to the stereo. She pressed the back button and the song began to play again and she came back over to him and took his hand. "Ready?"  
  
"Yeah" he said. She moved closer to him and they began dancing. He closed his eyes, he was loving this. He loved being close to her. He heard a slight relaxing moan come from her lips and he smirked. Did she actually moan when she was with him.  
  
Buffy's eyes were closed. She was really enjoying this. He was so warm, so sweet. He was so. . .'Oh my god' she thought. She backed up a little. She had forgotten that she was in the room. She had forgotten that she was anywhere. She looked at him. His eyes were so. . .so. . .beautiful. She leaned up, before she knew it, her lips were on his. 


	5. hopefulness in indecision

WOW RIGHT? ANYWAY, HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER. I THINK THIS STORY'S GOING REALLY WELL. . . . . . . . . . . .  
  
Buffy's eyes widened as she realized what she was doing. She hesitated to pull away at first and then did. He looked at her with a smirk.  
  
"Uh. . .wow" he said.  
  
"Um. . .I didn't. . .I didn't mean to do that" Buffy said.  
  
"Huh?" Spike said confused.  
  
"Look. . .maybe I should go" Buffy said and turned to leave, but Spike grabbed her arm and pulled her into another kiss, their tongues meeting each other. A slight moan escaped from Buffy's mouth and then she gasped and pulled away. "No, w-we can't do this, we're not doing this, I have a boyfriend."  
  
"And?" Spike asked, moving closer. Desire was in the air and both of them could sense it.  
  
"And I'm not going to cheat on him, I'm leaving" Buffy said sternly and started to walk away again.  
  
"Wait" he said and she turned back around.  
  
"What?" she said.  
  
"Don't go. . .what about the lesson?" he asked.  
  
"I think that you're a fine dancer, you don't need a lesson" Buffy said.  
  
"What are you afraid that you can't stand the seduction if you're with me?" he asked, smirking.  
  
"Of course I can, I just. . .have to go" Buffy said.  
  
"You scheduled this, why would you make plans twenty-five minutes later?" he asked.  
  
"I. . .damn it, what are you playing at? Huh? What are you doing? Why are you so determined to keep me here? Do you think that I'm going to sleep with you or something?" she asked.  
  
"Which question do you want me to answer first luv?" he joked in a grave tone.  
  
"Spike I'm serious, what is this? D-do you have feelings for me or something?" Buffy asked. By this time the love song had ended and a much more brutal song was on. Spike went over and turned it off.  
  
"Get over yourself princess, just because you're hot doesn't mean that every guy on the planet is going to go all bonkers over you" Spike said. "And besides, you're the one who kissed me remember?"  
  
"That was. . .I didn't. . ." Buffy tried to explain.  
  
"I know, it was impulse, you didn't mean it" Spike said sarcastically.  
  
"It wasn't impulse, it just. . .it just happened okay, and it won't happen again, I'm leaving" she said and walked up the stairs. He frowned for a moment and then smirked a little. She actually kissed him. 'she' kissed 'him'. He went over to his bed and laid down. He was wearing her down. Soon she would be his.  
  
Buffy walked into her house, stunned of her behavior. Both of kissing Spike and being rude about it afterward. He was right, she did kiss 'him', not the other way around. Nevertheless, why had she done it? Why had she kissed him? She loved Riley. She walked into the kitchen and went to the fridge and got out a soda and sat at the island.  
  
"Hey Buffy" Dawn said as she entered the kitchen.  
  
"Hey Dawnie, where is everybody?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Mom and Faith went to the store to get her a dress for homecoming" Dawn said.  
  
"Oh that's right she doesn't have a dress yet, okay, wait she left you here alone?" Buffy asked, realizing.  
  
"No" Dawn said.  
  
"Then who's watching you?" Buffy asked. Suddenly Riley came into the kitchen.  
  
"Okay Dawn I found the cards so we can- oh hey Buffy, I didn't know you were home" Riley said.  
  
"Hey" Buffy smiled and went over to him and kissed him. "I didn't know you were here either." Dawn rolled her eyes.  
  
"You guys aren't gonna like start making out now are you?" she whined.  
  
"No" Buffy said. "Actually I have stuff to do so I'll be upstairs, you two have fun with whatever you're doing." She went upstairs and shut and locked her bedroom door and took out her cell phone and called Willow.  
  
"Hello?" Willow answered.  
  
"Hey Will, look I have to talk to you, are you doing anything right now?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Uh-uh, what's wrong?" Willow asked.  
  
"Look, just. . .I'll be over there in like ten minutes okay" Buffy said.  
  
"Sure, but why can't you tell me over the phone?" Willow asked.  
  
"Cause I can't, bye" Buffy said quickly and hung up the phone and went back downstairs.  
  
"Hey, where are you going?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Um. . .just to Willow's, to talk and stuff, see ya" Buffy said and left. She drove to Willow's and knocked on the door and she answered.  
  
"Hey Buffy" she said.  
  
"Hey" Buffy said and came in. they went to Willow's room and shut the door.  
  
"Buff, what's wrong?" Willow asked.  
  
"I kissed Spike" she blurted.  
  
"What! Wow, is he a good kisser?" Willow asked.  
  
"Amazing. . .I mean, Will! That's not the point, look I feel so terrible, I cheated on Riley, I'm. . .I'm a horrible person" Buffy said.  
  
"No you're not, it's desire" Willow said.  
  
"No, I do not desire him I. . .it's just. . .I don't know" Buffy groaned and flopped down on Willow's bed. Willow came over and sat with her.  
  
"Buff you can tell me, do you like him?" Willow said.  
  
"I think I do" Buffy said. "I mean he just. . .he hits me you know, he touches this part of me that. . .Riley can't."  
  
"It's okay honey, I mean it's normal to have these feelings, he has so much more in common with you than Riley does" Willow said.  
  
"I don't want to talk about this anymore" Buffy said.  
  
"Okay, sure, what do you want to talk about?" Willow asked.  
  
"I don't know. . .nothing, I should go" Buffy said. "Thanks for the talk."  
  
"Anytime" Willow said. Buffy kissed her on the cheek.  
  
"Talk to you tomorrow" Buffy said.  
  
"Kay, see ya" Willow said and Buffy left.  
  
Buffy arrived home and Riley had left. Joyce and Faith had returned.  
  
"Hi honey, have fun at Willow's?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Yeah, we just talked, Faith's home right?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yeah, she's upstairs" Joyce said.  
  
"Thanks mom" Buffy said and ran upstairs. She had to talk to her best friend, which was Faith. She told Faith everything. She couldn't keep this a secret, she had to tell her sister.  
  
"Hey B, look at this, is this the kick dress or what?" Faith said as she held up a red silk dress. It was full length and has spaghetti straps.  
  
"It's pretty" Buffy said.  
  
"I need your help, I haven't decided who I want to I want to go with, it's between Mike, Gregg or David. . .hey maybe I'll ask Spike" Faith said.  
  
"Why? No you can't" Buffy said, a little too defensively. "I-I mean uh. . .you like him, why?"  
  
"He's hot duh!" Faith said and hung the dress back up in her closet. "Wait, do you have a problem with me asking him out?"  
  
"What? No of course not, you want to ask him out, go ahead, you two do whatever you want, I have my boyfriend" Buffy said.  
  
"Okay, maybe I will, maybe I won't, I haven't decided" Faith said.  
  
"Your call" Buffy said.  
  
"You're sure you don't mind?" Faith asked.  
  
"Yes, I'm sure, why would I mind, I have a boyfriend, I have a date to the dance, go right ahead" Buffy said and changed into her pajamas.  
  
"All right, if you say so" Faith said. Buffy decided she couldn't tell her now. She just kept it to herself.  
  
The next morning Spike woke up early. He wanted to go see Buffy. Since it was Sunday and there was no school he would have to go over to her house, and he hoped that Riley wasn't there. He got dressed and took his dad's car and went over to her house.  
  
"Morning sunshine" Joyce said as Buffy came down the stairs into the kitchen.  
  
"Yeah, yeah" Buffy mumbled and sat at the island and poured some cereal. Suddenly there was a knock at the door.  
  
"Buffy, get that please" Joyce said. Buffy walked into the living room and answered the door to find Spike.  
  
"What do you want?" she asked, annoyed.  
  
"To talk" he said and pulled her outside. She shut the door behind her.  
  
"About what?" she asked.  
  
"You know what about" he said.  
  
"Spike, the kiss, it didn't happen okay, if you tell anyone I'll-" she began.  
  
"Oh what like you didn't tell Faith" he said.  
  
"I didn't-" she began again.  
  
"Well Buffy, she's your twin sister, your best friend, why wouldn't you tell her?" Spike said.  
  
"I didn't, I told Willow- I mean I-"  
  
'Uh-huh, you told someone, why can't I?" he asked.  
  
"Spike, stop it okay, it will not happen again, ever" she said. "Are we done?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess so, so do you have a date for the dance?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, Riley, you know my boyfriend" Buffy said. "Do you?"  
  
"No, not yet, I hope I'll find someone" he said. She kind of felt bad for him.  
  
"Why don't you ask my sister, Faith not Dawn" Buffy joked.  
  
"I can't, I mean we're not. . .I mean I don't feel that way about her, like that" he said.  
  
"Well you don't have to love someone to go to a dance with them, you could go as friends" Buffy said.  
  
"Maybe, actually there is someone I'd like to go with, but I know she wouldn't want to go with me" he said.  
  
"Well who is it, I'm sure if you'd ask her she'd say yes" Buffy said, changing her voice from annoyance to sweet.  
  
"No, I'm not gonna ask her" Spike said.  
  
"Well you'll never know until you ask" she said. "It's getting cold, I'm gonna go inside" she said. "See ya tomorrow."  
  
"Yeah, see ya" Spike said and she went inside. She walked back into the kitchen and ran into Faith.  
  
"Oh, sorry" Buffy said.  
  
"Hey B, you okay, who was at the door?" Faith asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine, uh, just Spike" Buffy said.  
  
"Why didn't you invite him in?" Faith asked.  
  
"Uh, b-because he had to. . .um go, somewhere, else" Buffy said, speaking the last three words slowly.  
  
"Where? Why did he stop by?" Faith asked.  
  
"Uh, just to. . .ask if I could. . .um. . . do another lesson with him" Buffy said.  
  
"Oh, you know I decided that I want to go with Gregg" Faith said.  
  
"Oh, not-not Spike? You're not going to ask him?" Buffy asked.  
  
"No, I don't know he just. . .he's hot, but I just. . .I'm gonna go with Gregg" Faith said.  
  
"Ah" Buffy said.  
  
The next day Buffy and Faith went to school and met their friends, Spike included. He was becoming a regular part of the group.  
  
"Hey guys" Faith said.  
  
"Hey, Faith, Buffy what's happenin'?" Xander asked.  
  
"Nothin' much man" Faith said.  
  
"So, homecoming's this weekend, you guys exited?" Tara asked.  
  
"Yeah, it's gonna be awesome, who are you going with Tara?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Oh, Tommy" Tara smiled and looked at Tommy.  
  
"Oh, that's cool, so everyone got a date?" Faith asked.  
  
"Uh, actually, Buffy I wanted to talk to you about that, can we talk in private?" Riley asked.  
  
"Sure" Buffy said and she and Riley walked away. "What's up?"  
  
"I can't go to the dance with you" Riley said.  
  
"What? What do you mean? Why?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I'm going out of town this weekend, my grandmother's sick" Riley said.  
  
"Oh, uh. . ." Buffy said, not really knowing what to say. She was very disappointed.  
  
"I'm sorry" he said.  
  
"I-it's okay" she said. He kissed her on the cheek.  
  
"I have to go" he said. "I'll talk to you later."  
  
"Yeah" Buffy said and he walked off. Buffy went back over to the gang.  
  
"What did he want to talk to you about?" Faith asked.  
  
"He can't go to homecoming" Buffy said very disenchanted.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry" Faith said, putting her arm around her.  
  
"Me too" Buffy sighed, laying her head on Faith's shoulder. "I guess I won't go."  
  
"No, B you have to, you can find another date" Faith said.  
  
"I can't do that to Riley" Buffy said.  
  
"Well you're the one who told me that you don't have to be dating someone to go with them, who here doesn't have a date?" Faith said.  
  
"I don't" Spike said.  
  
"Faith, look this just makes me even more pathetic okay" Buffy said embarrassed.  
  
"We could go. . .if you wanted" Spike said.  
  
"I don't know. . ." Buffy said.  
  
"I mean as just, friends" Spike said reluctantly.  
  
"I guess it would be fun" Buffy said.  
  
"Cool, so I'll pick you up at eight" Spike said.  
  
"Fine" Buffy said and left. After school she went home. She didn't know if it was a good idea, going to the dance with Spike. They had already kissed. Now, a romantic dance, formal clothing, slow dancing. Nothing was going to happen.  
  
Spike arrived home and went downstairs. He couldn't believe that we was going to the dance with Buffy. A romantic dance, formal clothing, something was going to happen. 


	6. One hell of a night

Buffy and Faith were getting ready for the homecoming dance. Faith was on homecoming court and it was being circulated that Buffy might win homecoming queen, but it was uncertain.  
  
"Okay, so how do I look?" Faith asked as she came into her and Buffy's room. She had on her dress with a pair of red high heeled sandals. Her hair was down and curled.  
  
"You look beautiful" Buffy smiled. She looked in the mirror. She was wearing a royal blue satin dress that was full length. The straps of the dress were about one and a half inches wide and the dress had a square cut collar. On her feet were high heeled shoes to match and her hair was put up really high and curled. "What about me?"  
  
"Awesome, Spike's a lucky guy" Faith smirked.  
  
"Stop that, Spike and I are just going as friends, that's all" Buffy Said.  
  
"Whatever you say sis" Faith said. They got their shawls and bags and went downstairs. Faith, Gregg, Spike, Buffy, Xander, Cordelia, Willow, Oz, Tommy and Tara were all getting a limo together.  
  
"Oh, girls you look absolutely wonderful, here let me get a picture" Joyce said.  
  
"Okay, but just one" Buffy said.  
  
"Oh come on, I'm your mother, this is a right of mine" Joyce said and snapped a couple shots.  
  
"Hey can I take a picture with you guys?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Sure Dawnie" Faith said. Dawn went over and stood between Buffy and Faith and Joyce took a couple more pictures. Then she had Dawn take some of her with Buffy and Faith, and then with them separately. Suddenly the door bell rang.  
  
"Oh, that must be the guys" Buffy said and opened the door and there stood Spike in a tux. "Wow."  
  
"What? Didn't expect to see me in a tux pet?" he smirked. "It doesn't look good I know."  
  
"Don't be silly, you look great" Buffy smiled.  
  
"So you do luv" he said.  
  
"All right, you ready B, let's go" Faith said and they got in the limo and left.  
  
Once at the dance they all got a table. And sat together.  
  
"This is awesome, look at all the people here" Willow said.  
  
"Yeah, it's pretty cool" Buffy said.  
  
"Buff, I know that you're going to win prom queen" Xander said.  
  
"I don't know" Buffy said skeptical.  
  
"Sure you will, you're beautiful" Spike said. Buffy smiled at him.  
  
"Thank you" she said.  
  
"Do you want to dance?" he asked as he stuck out his hand to her. She took it in hers.  
  
"Okay" she said and he led her out onto the dance floor. The rest of the gang followed them. Buffy and Spike began to dance slowly as a song came on. "Hey, you guys are performing here tonight aren't you?"  
  
"Yeah, the Bronze gig flaked out so we got this one instead" he said.  
  
"Well is the girl here, you know the one that you wrote the song for?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Uh. . .yeah" he said.  
  
"Well why didn't you ask her to the dance?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Uh. . ." he trailed off and the principal came on the microphone.  
  
"Okay guys, for a special treat we have our own band, Dingoes ate My Baby, performing here, let's give them a hand huh" he said and everyone, including Buffy clapped. Spike went up with the rest of the guys, except Riley since he wasn't there, and Spike was happy about that. At least he could sing this song and Riley wouldn't intervene.  
  
"Hey guys, welcome to, 1999 homecoming!" Devon said in a loud and exited voice and everyone cheered and clapped. "All right, first the newest member of our band, Spike Giles is going to sing, so let's show him some love." Everyone clapped for him and he stepped up the front microphone.  
  
"Hey, let's do this" he said and the music began to play. "I see you everyday, the shadows of the world just seem to fade away when you look at me. . .there's a secret, I've been meaning to tell you, but there's always someone interfering, and now, here's my chance, to tell you how I really feel, I've never felt this way, you can make life feel real. . .I want to tell you, that you're sexy, that I want you, but how do I find the words. . .well here's my chance, to tell you now, I don't know what I'm gonna do, I don't know how, but I have to let you know, can't hold this in no more, please tell me that you feel the same, I want to know. . ." Spike finished the song after two more verses and choruses and everyone clapped and cheered. Buffy smiled at the song.  
  
"All right, we're going to take a short break so, see ya later" Devon said and Spike came off the stage and went over to Buffy.  
  
"That was great" she said.  
  
"I'm glad you liked it" he smiled.  
  
"Tell me, who is the girl?" Buffy asked.  
  
"No, I can't" Spike said.  
  
"Spike-" Buffy began.  
  
"Uh, let's dance" he said, taking her hand and leading her onto the dance floor again. They dance for another fifteen minutes and then the principal came back on stage.  
  
"Okay guys, the moment's here, the announcement of the homecoming king and queen" he said. "For homecoming court, seniors are, Sheila Connor and Hilary Detonberg, for juniors, Faith Summers and Cordelia Chase, for sophomores, Hannah Banks and Tiffany Rice, and for Freshmen, Alexia Blanco and Skyla Rose, now for homecoming king it is. . .Spike Giles" the principal said and Spike smiled and went up on stage. A girl put a crown on his head. "And for your queen it will be. . .Buffy Summers" he said. Buffy's heart jumped as she went on stage and the girl put a crown on her head and gave her red roses. "And of course as tradition we will have the dance." A slow song came on and Spike took Buffy's hand and led her onto the dance floor. They began to dance slowly. Buffy put her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, not really noticing that she was doing so. She breathed in with relaxation and smiled. It was like they were the only ones in the room. As the song ended she looked up at him. She smirked at her.  
  
"Having fun?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, it's wonderful" she said quietly and smiled.  
  
"Wish you were here with the old boyfriend though don't you?" he asked.  
  
"I'm happy being here with you" she said sweetly. As he was about to lean down and kiss her the gang came up to them.  
  
"Hey, congratulations to both of you" Willow said.  
  
"Yeah, thanks" Spike said.  
  
The dance ended at ten and they all got in the limo. First Willow was dropped off, then Xander, then Cordelia, then Oz, then Tommy, the Tara, then Gregg and then it came to Buffy and Faith's house.  
  
"Uh, you go ahead Faith, I want to show Buffy something at my place, I'll bring her home later" Spike said.  
  
"Oh, uh B?" Faith said, confirming.  
  
"Uh, yeah, it's okay" Buffy said. Faith got out of the limo and the driver took Spike and Buffy to his house. Giles was already in bed. Spike and Buffy went down into his room. "So, what did you want to show me?"  
  
"Uh, well. . .this" he said and got out a box. "Stupid git I am I forgot to give it to you, doesn't mean much now but, I wanted you to have it." Buffy opened the box and there was a corsage.  
  
"Oh, it's beautiful, thank you" Buffy smiled.  
  
"You're welcome" he smiled back. She put the corsage down on the table and he went over to his stereo and put on some music really low. "Dance with me?"  
  
"Now, why?" she asked.  
  
"Don't know, those lessons, I like showing off" he said. She shook her head at him and stuck out her hand and he took it.  
  
"You're very peculiar" she said.  
  
"Yeah well, I know" he said. They dance for a while and then she looked up at him.  
  
"Thank you for tonight, I really didn't want to go alone" she said.  
  
"No problem luv, was happy to do it" he said.  
  
"Still, I wish that you could of gone with the person you wanted" Buffy said.  
  
"Little secret pet" he said, and then lowered his voice to a whisper and whispered in her ear. "I did."  
  
"What?" she asked, puzzled.  
  
"You're the one I really wanted to go with, that song. . .it was for you" he said. She looked at him for a second with a really serious look on her face and then leaned up and kissed him. The kiss started off slow, but grew intense. She moaned into his mouth and then broke away. He looked at her disappointed, but she surprised him. She kissed him again as she pulled him towards his bed. As they fell together on the soft bedding she started to unbutton his shirt. 


	7. Give in

SO, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT, OR DID YOU KINDA KNOW? ANYWAY, HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER, R/R!  
  
Spike was holding her. The smile glued to his lips wouldn't go away. He looked at over at her and she was asleep. He didn't want to move at all. He didn't want to wake her, but he got up anyway. He went and took a shower. After he was finished he came back downstairs and she opened her eyes. she looked around her and then sat up quickly.  
  
"Hey pet" he said with a smirk. She looked at him and then looked away.  
  
"Hey" she said quietly, looking around for her clothing.  
  
"Something wrong?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, one, it's morning and I'm not home, and two, I. . .we shouldn't of done this" Buffy said getting up.  
  
"Oh no?" he asked stubbornly. She looked at him sternly and he began to get dressed. She looked away. "There's nothing here you haven't seen before pet."  
  
"Don't, you know that. . .this. . .I don't know why. . ." she tried to say. He sighed with frustration and she put on her clothes. He went over to her.  
  
"What are you saying, that you regret it?" he asked.  
  
"Yes" she said and then saw the hurt look on his face and changed her tone. "I mean. . .it was. . .amazing, but it isn't right, I should of never. . ."  
  
"Right" he said and went over and put on a shirt. "Let's just. . .I don't know, forget I guess" he said and then looked at her. "I can't."  
  
"I can't either, not forget, but it can't happen again, I cheated on Riley" Buffy said guiltily.  
  
"Look. . .what we did last night, it. . .it meant so much. . .I don't know if it mean a lot to you, but it did to me, I just wanted you to know that" Spike said. Buffy smiled at him and walked out.  
  
Buffy went home quickly. She didn't know how much trouble she was in with her mother but she just wanted to get home. She walked in the house quietly incase no one was up yet, and no one was. She tiptoed into her and Faith's bedroom and shut the door behind her.  
  
"There you are" Faith said, which startled her.  
  
"Faith, w-what are you doing up?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Maybe the question should be where the hell have you been all night?" she asked.  
  
"Mom, oh god I'm in so much-" Buffy began.  
  
"No you're not, I covered for you" Faith said.  
  
"You did? Thank you" Buffy said relieved.  
  
"Now, tell me where you were" Faith said.  
  
"I can't" Buffy said.  
  
"Oh yes you can, B I'm your sister, were you with Spike?" Faith asked.  
  
"Yes" Buffy said. "I. . .we. . .I slept with him.  
  
"Oh my god, are you serious? How was it?" Faith asked.  
  
"Faith, that's not the point, it shouldn't have happened" Buffy said.  
  
"Well was it good?" Faith asked.  
  
"Mind-blowing" Buffy said and Faith smiled. "God I feel so. . .so bad, I mean, how could I have cheated on Riley?"  
  
"Forget about Riley, look sweetie, I love you, you deserve someone that will make you happy, and that's Spike and you know it" Faith said.  
  
"I. . .no" Buffy said. Faith sighed.  
  
"Whatever you say sis, but I know you better than that" Faith said.  
  
"I'm going to take a shower" Buffy said and went into the bathroom. She took her shower and went and laid down. She couldn't stop thinking Spike. What they did.  
  
Spike was thinking of Buffy also. He couldn't stop smiling. He never imagined that they would sleep together. It was so amazing. He got up and went to the phone and dialed her number.  
  
"Hello?" she answered.  
  
"Hey luv" he smiled.  
  
"What do you want?" she asked.  
  
"Is that any way to treat the fella you f-" he began.  
  
"Don't even say it" she warned.  
  
"Look, I need to see you" he said.  
  
"No, I'm not coming" she said. "I have a date with Riley."  
  
"Oh, so what? You use him for the good image and use me strictly for sex is that it?" he asked.  
  
"No, we're not doing it again, ever" she said.  
  
"Buffy. . ." he said.  
  
"Look I have to go okay, see ya" she said and hung up. He hung up too with frustration. How could she just shut him out like this? After all she was the one who initiated it in the first place. And now she was pretending like nothing happened?  
  
"So, B, who was that?" Faith asked.  
  
"Spike" Buffy said.  
  
"What'd he have to say?" Faith asked.  
  
"Nothing" Buffy said.  
  
"Well obviously it's something, you're all upset" Faith said.  
  
"He just. . .he's making more out of this than it is" Buffy said.  
  
"Well B, it is important, I mean you slept with him" Faith said.  
  
"I know, but it was. . .it was a fluke" Buffy said.  
  
"Come on B, do you actually believe that?" Faith asked.  
  
"Yes" Buffy said.  
  
"Are you going to tell Riley?" Faith asked.  
  
"Why the hell would I do that?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Because you did cheat on him, so. . ." Faith said.  
  
"No, if he knew he'd. . .he'd break up with me" Buffy said.  
  
"Well, you have Spike" Faith told her.  
  
"No I don't" Buffy said.  
  
"Okay, but I still say you're in denial" Faith said.  
  
"I am not in denial, and this conversation is over" Buffy said and walked downstairs, Faith followed, Joyce was now up.  
  
"Hey girls, Buffy do you feel better?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Uh. . .better?" Buffy asked confused.  
  
"Yeah, remember B, you were feeling sick last night" Faith said.  
  
"Oh, oh right, uh, yeah, I'm feeling better, a lot better" Buffy said.  
  
"Good, well I have to go to work, she you girls later, watch your sister" Joyce said and left. Buffy sighed with relief.  
  
"Thanks for the cover" Buffy said.  
  
"No problem" Faith said and went into the living room and turned on the TV.  
  
"Um. . .I'm going to go out for a while, you'll watch Dawn?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Sure, where ya going?" Faith asked.  
  
"To talk to Spike, I want to make sure that he's not going to tell anyone" Buffy said.  
  
"Okay, see ya later" Faith said.  
  
"Okay, bye" Buffy said and left. She drove over to Spike's house and was actually nervous, which she didn't get because she had slept with him, why would she be nervous to be around him? She walked up the stairs and knocked on the door and Spike answered.  
  
"Hey luv, what brings you over here?" he asked.  
  
"I have to talk to you" Buffy said. "Can I come in?"  
  
"Sure" he said and let her in. They went down into his room. "What's up?"  
  
"You can't tell anyone what happened last night, not anyone" Buffy said.  
  
"And why not?" he asked stubbornly.  
  
"Because- damn it, are you trying to punish me or something?" she asked.  
  
"No, just don't know why you're so determined to make yourself believe that nothing happened last night" Spike said.  
  
"I acknowledge that something happened last night-" Buffy began.  
  
"More than something pet, we slept together" Spike said.  
  
"Okay, I know that, but I. . ." she trailed off when he came closer.  
  
"You want me" he whispered.  
  
"No, no I don't" she said back. He came right up to her, so that they're lips were inches apart.  
  
"Yes you do luv, I can sense it, I want you too, last night changed things, you know it" he said.  
  
"It doesn't mean-" she started to say, but stopped when he kissed her. They kiss was a long one and she didn't resist.  
  
"Give in" he told her. She looked at him for a moment and then pulled him into another kiss. He lifted her up and carried her over to his bed and laid her down on it. He looked at her for a second and then laid on top of her and kissed her again. 


	8. Fluke or Fancy?

"Buffy, luv, wake up" Spike whispered to Buffy as stroked hair. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled at him, which he was grateful for.  
  
"Hi" she whispered.  
  
"Hey" she smiled at her. "What was it you were saying about not wanting to do it anymore?"  
  
"Shut up" she said playfully and turned away from him to look at the clock. It was four hours after she arrived at his house. "I should um. . .go" she said and got up to get dressed. He got up as well and went over to her.  
  
"You're not going to like be brush-offy are you?" he asked.  
  
"I just. . .I don't know why I. . ." she tried to explain.  
  
"Look luv, if you need time to make a decision, I understand, but I think that you should, I mean me or. . ." Spike said.  
  
"Riley" Buffy said.  
  
"I hope that wasn't your answer" Spike told her.  
  
"Time, I need time" she said and got dressed.  
  
"Okay, that I can grant" he said and she got her jacket.  
  
"Um, I should go, I guess I'll see you. . .tomorrow" she said and left before he could kiss her.  
  
Buffy arrived home and Riley's car was in the driveway. Her heart jumped at the sight of the car and she walked inside and he was sitting on the couch talking to Dawn and Faith.  
  
"Hey Buffy" she smiled and kissed her.  
  
"H-hi, what are you doing here?" she asked.  
  
"We were going out, remember?" Riley said.  
  
"Right, right, out, uh, okay, just give me a little time to change" Buffy said and went upstairs, Faith followed.  
  
"Hey B, what did you and Spike talk about?" Faith asked.  
  
"Uh, just. . .things" Buffy said, getting out the outfit she wanted to wear, a light brown Swede skirt with a slit up the left side and a light blue halter-top and her brown boots. She got dressed and did her hair.  
  
"Come on B, you have to give me something other than, 'things' did you two. . .again?" Faith asked.  
  
"No, no we definitely didn't do that" Buffy covered.  
  
"Oh, okay so. . ." Faith said.  
  
"Look Faith, Riley's waiting, I have to go" Buffy said and went downstairs, Faith following. "Okay, I'm ready."  
  
"You look nice" he said. She sort of frowned at that. The only word he ever used to compliment her was nice. He never told her she looked beautiful, sexy, gorgeous, not even pretty, just nice.  
  
"Thanks" she said and they left. He took her to the movies to see an old cowboy flick, which wasn't that interesting, except to him. She wanted to make out, but his eyes were glued to the screen. Afterwards he took her for pizza, then home. "I had a good time."  
  
"Yeah, me too" he said and kissed her on the cheek and she got out of the car and went inside. Her mother was now home.  
  
"Hi honey, have fun?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Yeah, it was. . .nice" Buffy said and went upstairs.  
  
"Hey B, Spike called" Faith said.  
  
"What did he want?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Just to talk to you, I told him you were out with Riley and you'd be back later" Faith said.  
  
"Okay, thanks" Buffy said and got undressed and into bed.  
  
"So, you and the fame of lame have a good time?" Faith asked.  
  
"It was okay, he. . .he means well, but. . ." Buffy said.  
  
"He's not Spike?" Faith asked with a small smirk.  
  
"I don't know" Buffy sighed and rolled away from her sister and went to sleep.  
  
The next day Buffy and Faith got dressed and went to school and met their friends.  
  
"Hey guys" Willow said happily.  
  
"Will did anyone ever tell you that you were way too perky in the morning?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Coffee, makes me all hyper" Willow said, holding up her coffee cup.  
  
"Hey Buffy" Spike smirked. She glared at him.  
  
"Hi" she said with a warning look on her face.  
  
"Well we have to go, come on Riley" Xander said and they left.  
  
"Us too" Faith said and she left with Willow, Tara, Oz and Tommy. Buffy and Spike were the only two left.  
  
"Are you trying to tell everyone?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I just said hello luv, don't see the harm in that" Spike said. "Have you made a decision?"  
  
"No, I told you it's going to take some time, and when I say time I don't mean twelve hours" Buffy said.  
  
"Okay, okay" Spike said.  
  
"I have to go to class" Buffy said and left.  
  
Buffy sat in class not really paying attention. She couldn't stop thinking about the decision she had to make. Spike or Riley, Riley or Spike. She took out a piece of paper and divided it in two and put Spike's name at the top of one column and Riley's at the top of the other. Then she divided the columns in two and put bad and good in both. She started marking the good things about Riley. He was polite, sweet, cute, good, and safe. The bad things. Then she put the good things about Spike. He was hot, he was a good kisser, and he was good in bed. And the bad things about him. He was too arrogant, he was somewhat self conceded, and he only wore black. And the bad things about Riley, he had a one sided mind. He wasn't real, he did things to make people to accept him. He-  
  
"Buffy?" she heard the teacher say.  
  
"Yeah?" Buffy answered.  
  
"Answer the question please" the teacher said.  
  
"Uh. . ." Buffy said, thankfully the bell rang.  
  
"Okay, tomorrow people" the teacher said. Buffy got up and left. She met her friends at the cafeteria.  
  
"Hey B" Faith said.  
  
"Hey" Buffy said. "Where's Riley?"  
  
"Um, I don't know, do you need to talk to him about something?" Faith asked.  
  
"Uh, yeah, um, I'm going to look in the gym, Dingoes are practicing there aren't they?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yep" Willow said.  
  
"Is there a problem?" Tara asked.  
  
"Yeah" Buffy said.  
  
"What is it?" Anya asked.  
  
"Um, I'm going to talk to Riley first, I-I'm. . .I just have to talk to him" Buffy said.  
  
"Are you okay?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"Yeah, fine" Buffy told her.  
  
"Good, we'll talk to you later" Faith said.  
  
"Okay, see ya later" Buffy said and went to the gym. Riley was there with Spike, Xander, Oz, Devon and Tommy.  
  
"All right, that base sounds pretty dry, pump it up a bit" Oz said.  
  
"Hey guys" Buffy said.  
  
"Hey Buff" Xander said.  
  
"Come to hear how amazing we are?" Devon asked.  
  
"You guys are the best" Buffy smiled.  
  
"See and this is one of the reasons I love you so" Devon joked and kissed her on the head. Buffy smiled at him.  
  
"Uh, actually, I have to um. . ." Buffy said and trailed off when a screeching sound came from one of the amps.  
  
"Uhg! Man I said pump it not kill it" Oz said and went over to Tommy.  
  
"This thing's shot" Tommy said.  
  
"Damn it, how are we gonna get a new one before Friday?" Xander said.  
  
"Oh, I got one we could use, at home, but I can bring it, or we could just practice there" Spike said.  
  
"Yo, man you're the greatest, I declare Spike the band god" Devon said and made a bowing motions towards Spike.  
  
"Yeah well it's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it" Spike smirked.  
  
"All right, practice at Spike's tonight guys" Tommy said. Spike went over to Buffy.  
  
"You're coming to the Bronze Friday night aren't you?" he asked.  
  
"Are you kidding, I practically live there" Buffy smiled.  
  
"Good, 'cause um. . .I play better knowing you're watching me" he said in a whisper and walked away.  
  
"He's not Spike" Buffy whispered to herself, thinking back to the list of bad things she was making for Riley. She walked away, back to the cafeteria.  
  
"Did you talk to Riley?" Faith asked.  
  
"Uh, no" Buffy said.  
  
"Well did you settle the problem?" Tara asked.  
  
"Yeah, I think I did" Buffy said and sat down.  
  
"Care to share?" Faith asked, sitting next to her sister.  
  
"Uh, not yet, soon though I promise" Buffy said and took the bottle of coke Faith had and took a drink from it.  
  
"You sure you're okay?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"Mmm-hmm, I'm fine" Buffy said. 


	9. The ideal man

SO. . .DOES THIS MEAN SHE'S GOING TO PICK SPIKE? OR MAYBE HER FEELINGS FOR RILEY ARE TOO GREAT. . .HMMM. . . ANYWAY R/R!  
  
Buffy crumpled up the 20th piece of paper. She had been trying to find the right words to tell him. She had made a decision days ago, but she just didn't know how to tell him she couldn't be with him. She knew who she wanted to be with. Faith came up the stairs and into the room.  
  
"Hey B" she said.  
  
"Hi" Buffy sighed with frustration as she crumpled up another piece of paper and threw it on the ground with the others.  
  
"Okay, mom's gonna kill you, look at this mess" Faith said and picked up one of the pieces of paper and un crinkled it and red it. "'I'm sorry to tell you'" she read and then picked up another. "'I'm sorry to inform you that'" she picked up another. "'This pains me to say' B, what are you doing?"  
  
"Writing a letter, or at least trying to" Buffy said with a sigh.  
  
"What? Why?" Faith asked.  
  
"Sweetie, I can't tell anyone until I've sorted it out okay" Buffy said and began writing again.  
  
"But you promise you'll tell me?" Faith asked.  
  
"Cross my heart" Buffy said.  
  
"Okay, but it's Friday, Bronzing, the national day of Bronze, you're going right?" Faith asked.  
  
"Uh, yeah, of course" Buffy said.  
  
"Okay, we have to get ready" Faith told her.  
  
'O-okay, hold on" she said and wrote a little more and then sighted with frustration and crumbled up the paper and got up. She wanted to look hot because she was telling him that she chose him. She got out a black leather skirt that was long to her ankles and had a slit up the right side. She put on a white tank top that was really low cut and tight. She put on her black healed sandals and curled her hair. She put on some dark eye shadow and dark eye liner.  
  
"B, you ready?" Faith asked.  
  
"Uh-huh" Buffy said and came out of the bathroom.  
  
"Wow, talk about making a statement" Faith said.  
  
"Yeah, ready?" Buffy said and grabbed her jacket and they left.  
  
Spike and the rest of the band were getting ready to perform. They had set up all their equipment and things that they needed and they were all ready.  
  
"Hi boys" Hannah said as she came behind stage.  
  
"Hey Han, what's up?" Devon asked.  
  
"Um, I need to talk to Riley" she said.  
  
"Okay, what about?" Riley asked.  
  
"Come with me" she said pulling him away and into the storage room. Once in there and the door was shut she kissed him passionately.  
  
"Whoa, wait a second I can't- I-I mean we can't, not here, what if Buffy-" he began.  
  
"What if Buffy what? Found out? Please, she's way too self absorbed, and way too blonde for that kind of detective work" Hannah said.  
  
"Look-" he began again.  
  
"I thought you loved me" Hannah said.  
  
"I do, baby, I do, but. . .I just have to talk to Buffy first okay, just let me talk to her" Riley said and kissed her.  
  
"Fine, but hurry, I can't take much more of this, though, sneaking around does have it's perks, I fell naughty" she said with a seductive smile.  
  
"Me too" Riley smiled and kissed her again.  
  
Buffy and Faith arrived at the Bronze and went backstage to see the guys.  
  
"Hey peeps" Faith said setting down her jacket and sitting on the couch next to Tommy.  
  
"Hey, hey Buffy" Spike said.  
  
"Hi" Buffy said back and sat next to Spike on another couch. "So, where is everyone else? They should be here, they said they were coming" Buffy asked.  
  
"They'll be here soon" Faith said, and began talking to Xander, Oz, Devon and Tommy.  
  
"So uh. . .have you made your decision yet luv? I know that I've asked you before, but. . ." Spike whispered to Buffy.  
  
"Yes, I have, but I want to talk to Riley first okay" Buffy said.  
  
"Who did you choose?" Spike asked.  
  
"After I talk to Riley" Buffy said.  
  
"Why do you want to talk to him?" Spike asked, Buffy rolled her eyes. "Because I chose you okay, I want to tell him." He got a huge grin on his face.  
  
"Really?" he asked.  
  
"Yes" Buffy whispered sweetly and then expanded her voice to talk to everyone. "Hey where's Riley?"  
  
"Uh, he was talking to Hannah, I think they went in the storage room" Tommy said.  
  
"Okay, thanks, uh, I'm going to go talk to him" Buffy said. She got up and walked to the storage room and heard people talking in there and then some boxes falling over. "Riley?" she opened the door and saw Riley and Hannah making out. "Oh my god."  
  
"Buffy" he said as he quickly broke the kiss. Buffy looked hurt for a second and then mad.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" she asked.  
  
"Uh, god I really wanted to talk to you, I didn't want you to find out this way I- we're. . .kind of. . ." Riley tried to explain.  
  
"Sleeping together" Hannah said.  
  
"You two? How long has this been going on?" Buffy asked as everyone else joined her at the doorway.  
  
"Whoa" Faith said at the sight of Hannah and Riley.  
  
"Uh. . .th-three months" Riley said.  
  
"Three months!" Buffy shouted. "Is that why-" she began, and then lowered her voice a little. "Is that why you didn't want to sleep wit me? Because you were doing it with that slut?"  
  
"Hey! You can't-" Hannah began to say and get up.  
  
"Get up, and I swear to god I will knock you back down" Buffy said through gritted teeth and Hannah refrained from getting up. Buffy pushed past everyone and stormed out of the club and into the parking lot, followed by Faith and Spike.  
  
"B-" Faith began.  
  
"No, don't" Buffy said.  
  
"Buffy, luv-" Spike tried, but she cut him off too.  
  
"No, I just need some time to-to think okay" Buffy said and got in her and Faith's car and left.  
  
"I guess now she doesn't have to feel so guilty about you two sleeping together" Faith told Spike.  
  
"How did you-" Spike started.  
  
"She's my sister, of course I know" Faith said and walked back into the club.  
  
Buffy sat in her room thinking, she wasn't crying, just thinking. She couldn't believe that Riley had been cheating on her for two months. How could she not have known? She looked at the note she had started and ripped it up. She didn't owe him any explanation. She was glad that she had chosen Spike. He would never cheat on her, she didn't think. She went over to her bed and laid down. She hated Riley, she just. . .she hated him. She didn't know how since she thought she loved him thirty minutes ago, but maybe she didn't love him, maybe she never did. Maybe she was just so afraid of getting hurt again that she convinced herself that she loved him. Did she love Spike? She was just so confused. Her head began to hurt as all these thoughts popped in. She closed her eyes and tried to make them go away, but they wouldn't. suddenly she heard footsteps coming up the stairs and then Someone enter her room. She was turned away from the door, so she didn't see who it was, until she heard the deep English accent and smiled a bit.  
  
"Hey luv" he said and sat on the edge of her bed.  
  
"Hi" she said quietly.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked her  
  
"Sure" she said, turning to face him. "How-how could I not of known? All this time her. . .and him. . .together. . .how could I be that stupid?"  
  
"You're not stupid luv, you just. . .I don't know" Spike said.  
  
"Doesn't matter anyway, I mean I was going to break up with him, but. . .I'm sorry" she said.  
  
"For what pet?" he asked.  
  
"I don't want you to think that. . .I-I mean I still want to be with. . ." she said. He leaned down and kissed her.  
  
"Don't worry about it" he told her.  
  
"Your gig, what about the performance tonight?" she asked.  
  
"Well if we hurry we can still make it" Spike told her.  
  
"Okay" she said and he took her hand and started to lead her downstairs. "Wait, um, can we kiss in front of Riley so he knows just how over him I am?"  
  
"Using me to get back at your ex?" he asked with the rise of his eyebrow.  
  
"That's horrible I know" she said.  
  
"Oh no it's not, I've always hated him, I'd be happy to" he said. She smirked and kissed him.  
  
Buffy and Spike went back to the Bronze and Dingoes were just about to go onstage.  
  
"Man, you're back, I was beginning to worry" Devon said.  
  
"Had some business I had to attend to" Spike said, still holding onto Buffy's hand.  
  
"Ah, I see, Buffs you okay?" Devon asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm just fine" Buffy said.  
  
"Good, come on Spike" Devon said. Spike gave Buffy a small kiss on the lips before going onstage.  
  
After the performance Buffy went backstage to see her new boyfriend and the rest of the gang.  
  
"Hey guys, that was awesome" Buffy said and sat next to Spike on one of the couches.  
  
"Thanks" Devon said.  
  
"So, where did Riley go, he wasn't onstage?" Buffy asked.  
  
"He quit the band" Xander said.  
  
"Why?" Buffy asked.  
  
"He said that it wasn't for him" Oz said. "You should be glad though, I mean he isn't hanging wit you clique."  
  
"I am" Buffy said.  
  
"You sure you okay luv?" Spike asked.  
  
"Fine" she said and laid on the couch with her head on his lap. He stroked her hair.  
  
"Okay. . .so, what's up with you two, I mean are you guys. . .?" Xander asked.  
  
"A couple? Yes" Buffy told him. Spike smiled at that. He loved to hear them as a couple.  
  
"When did all this happen?" Oz asked.  
  
"A while ago" Buffy said.  
  
"A while as in two hours or as in longer?" Devon asked.  
  
"About two weeks" Buffy said.  
  
"So you were cheating on Riley too?" Xander said. "Small world."  
  
"I know that I sound like sort of a hypocrite, but. . ." Buffy said.  
  
"No, it's okay, we're your friends, not his, so of course we're going to take your side" Tommy said.  
  
"Thanks you guys, hey where's Faith?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Uh, I saw her, 'round back making out with some guy" Spike said. Buffy rolled her eyes and got up.  
  
"I'm going to go look for her" Buffy said and went out into the back parking lot of the club and didn't see Faith. "Faith?" Buffy walked a little longer and to her horror there was her sister, on the ground, and she had been beaten up very badly. 


	10. Secrets of life

HMMM. . .WHAT HAPPENED TO FAITH? WELL YOU'LL HAVE TO READ TO FIND OUT CAUSE I'M CERTAINLY NOT GONNA TELL YOU (LOL) R/R! THANKS! OH AND SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE, BURDEN OF SCHOOL, WELL SEE YA!  
  
"Oh my god" Buffy whispered. "Oh my god." She said more loudly and panicy as she ran to Faith's side. "Wh-what happened? Who did this?"  
  
"It was. . .nothing, no one" Faith said slowly, as she tried to get up, but really couldn't.  
  
"Faith, I'm now screwing around, tell me who did this to you damn it" Buffy demanded.  
  
"It was. . .it was Gregg" Faith said.  
  
"What? Why?" Buffy asked.  
  
"He uh. . .he was talking crap about you. . .and I. . .I told him to stop, and he didn't, so I hit him. . . and he hit me back, with interest" Faith said. Buffy helped her up and into the Bronze to the back.  
  
"Bloody hell, what happened?" Spike asked.  
  
"Long story, I'll explain later, um I have to get her home, Spike could you get our jackets?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Of course" Spike said and got their jackets and helped Faith to car.  
  
"Do you need any more help?" he asked.  
  
"Um, no, thanks though, I'll talk to you tomorrow" she said and kissed him.  
  
"Call me, tell me if she's okay" Spike said.  
  
"I will, bye" Buffy said and drove Faith home. Dawn and Joyce were already asleep. She helped Faith upstairs and into bed. "Okay honey, I'm going to get you some aspirin." She went into the bathroom and got some medicine and brought it to Faith. "Here."  
  
"Thanks" Faith said and took it and closed her eyes.  
  
"Tomorrow we're going to the dr." Buffy said.  
  
"No" Faith protested.  
  
"Faith, I don't care what you say, we are going, we have to make sure there's no internal damage done" Buffy told her and turned off the light.  
  
"B, you can't tell mom, promise me" Faith said.  
  
"I don't know about that. . ." Buffy said.  
  
"Promise me" Faith demanded.  
  
"Okay, I promise" Buffy said. They went to sleep and when Buffy woke up again Faith was already up. Buffy went into their bathroom and she was there putting on cover-up makeup. "Hi."  
  
"Hey" she said grimly.  
  
"Are you okay?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yeah, five by five" Faith said.  
  
"I'm sorry" Buffy told her.  
  
"Why, did you do this to me?" Faith asked.  
  
"Did you. . .I mean, did you tell mom?" Buffy asked.  
  
"No, and you aren't going to either, I will kick your ass" Faith said.  
  
"I promise" Buffy said. "Um, I'm going over to Spike's, do you want to go?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Nah, and besides, you two would probably want to be alone" Faith said with a sly smile.  
  
"Are you sure you okay?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Sure, you go, have fun" Faith said. Buffy smiled and walked downstairs and Dawn was there.  
  
"Hey Buffy" Dawn said.  
  
"Hi, um, I'm going to go, uh, Faith's here, see ya" Buffy said.  
  
"Wait, Buffy" Dawn said.  
  
"What?" Buffy asked, turning around.  
  
"Where are you going?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Uh, to Spike's" Buffy said.  
  
"Is he like your boyfriend now?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Yeah" Buffy said.  
  
"What happened to Riley?" Dawn asked.  
  
"He's. . .history" Buffy said.  
  
"Oh, well have fun" Dawn said, Buffy walked out of the house.  
  
Buffy arrived at Spike's house a little later. Giles wasn't home. Buffy knocked on the door, but there was no answer. Buffy opened the door and walked in and walked down to Spike's room. He was still sleeping, Buffy walked into his room and sat on his bed.  
  
"Spike" she said quietly and shook him.  
  
"Hmmm?" he asked, his eyes still closed.  
  
"It's me, your girlfriend, remember?" she asked.  
  
"Hmm, no, I don't recall having a girlfriend, a sex partner yes, but not a girlfriend" Spike smirked, still not opening his eyes.  
  
"You better be joking mister" Buffy said, and Spike opened his eyes.  
  
"I'm defiantly joking" he smirked, she leaned down and kissed him. "Hi."  
  
"Hi" Buffy smiled.  
  
"Come here luv" he said and she climbed into bed with him and he wrapped his arms tightly around her. "Is Faith okay?"  
  
"Yeah, she's going to be fine" Buffy said.  
  
"Good" Spike said and kissed her on the forehead. She looked up and kissed him. First light, and then very fervently. "Ooh, you want me do you?" he smirked at her and she smirked back.  
  
"Always" she said and he flipped her over so that he was on top of her and kissed her again.  
  
Faith was sitting on the couch watching TV. She had covered up the bruises as best she could and her mother and Dawn hadn't noticed yet, and Faith hoped they never did. Joyce walked through the door holding three grocery bags.  
  
"Uh, Faith, honey can you help me with these?" Joyce asked and Faith got off the couch and took two of the bags. "Hi, where's Buffy and Dawn?"  
  
"Uh, Dawn's upstairs and B's at Spike's" Faith said and followed her mother into the kitchen.  
  
"Oh, she's been spending a lot of time over there, what about Riley?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Uh, Riley's historical reading now mom, where you been, B's boink- I mean dating Spike now" Faith said covering herself and her sister.  
  
"Oh, what happened between Buffy and Riley, he was a nice boy?" Joyce asked as she and Faith started putting away the groceries.  
  
"Yeah, nice, dull, boring, basically a cheating bastard that really needs that joyride to hell" Faith said.  
  
"He cheated on Buffy?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Yeah, with Hannah" Faith said.  
  
"Hannah, Buffy's friend?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Not anymore" Faith said.  
  
"Hmm, and how'd she start dating Spike?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Well, he's had this humongo crush on her since he moved to the great Sunny D and. . .well let's just say that, they connected, and she had to choose between the English hottie or Captain Cardboard and I think she made the right choice, after she found out that Riley had been sleeping with Hannah she knew she made the right choice too" Faith said.  
  
"So, she chose Spike before she knew about Riley and Hannah" Joyce confirmed.  
  
"Mmm-hmm" Faith said.  
  
"Oh, well at least she didn't do it out of spite" Joyce said.  
  
"Yep, she has the hotts for him" Faith said, and Dawn came down the stairs.  
  
"Mommy!" she said and hugged Joyce.  
  
"Hi honey" Joyce said. Suddenly Buffy walked through the door.  
  
"Mom! Hey what's-what's up?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Nothing much, have fun with Spike?" Joyce asked.  
  
"What!" Buffy asked, shocked.  
  
"At Spike's, did you two have fun?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Oh they had plenty of fun" Faith mumbled with a smirk.  
  
"Yeah, we- it was. . .fine" Buffy said. Suddenly the phone began to ring.  
  
"Oh, I'll take that upstairs" Joyce said and went upstairs.  
  
"I'm going to kill you" Buffy said to Faith.  
  
"Hey, she doesn't know" Faith smiled.  
  
"Know what?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Nothing" both Faith and Buffy said at the same time.  
  
"You guys never tell me anything" Dawn complained.  
  
"That's because, one, you're too young, and two, you can't keep a secret" Buffy said.  
  
"Yes I can" Dawn said defensively.  
  
"Oh yeah, what about that time that I broke mom's vase and you told her ten minutes later when you promised you wouldn't" Faith reminded her.  
  
"It just slipped out" Dawn said.  
  
"Yeah, well, this is a secret that I can't afford to get 'slipped out'" Buffy said and she and Faith went upstairs. Dawn sighed with frustration and went to watch TV.  
  
"So, did you two. . .?" Faith asked when she and Buffy got upstairs.  
  
"Yes" Buffy said and Faith smiled. "What?"  
  
"I'm so glad to two are together, I'm so glad that you dumped captain lame-o."  
  
"Well me too" Buffy said.  
  
"Do you love him? Spike I mean?" Faith asked.  
  
"I don't know" Buffy said. "I know I love being with him, I guess I just have to. . .wait for a while, I've learned that falling in love fast just ends in badness."  
  
"Well I happen to know that he's crazy about you" Faith said.  
  
"Yeah?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Oh please, like you don't know" Faith said and Buffy smiled.  
  
"I know" Buffy said. "I have to go to the bathroom." She went into the bathroom and went and then washed her hands and brushed her hair. She put the brush on the counter and it fell into the trash can and she retrieved it and there lying in the can was a pregnancy test that said positive. 


	11. The birds and the bees

Buffy stared at the box that she held in front of her.  
  
"What the hell?" she asked herself as she put the box and test back in the trash. She didn't know who could be pregnant. It certainly wasn't her. She hadn't taken a test. That only left Faith, her mother and Dawn. It defiantly wasn't Dawn, she was only ten. Okay, Faith and her mom? She opened the door and went back into her and Faith's room. Should she ask her? "Uh. . .Faith?"  
  
"Yeah?" Faith asked. She was lying on her bed, on her back. Was this a sign?  
  
"Um. . .uh. . .are you pregnant?" Buffy blurted out.  
  
"What? No of course not" Faith said, getting up. "Why?"  
  
"I found a pregnancy test in the trash" Buffy informed her twin sister.  
  
"Well it's defiantly not me, I mean I haven't. . .uh. . ." Faith admitted.  
  
"Oh my. . .are you serious, y-you're a virgin?" Buffy asked amazed.  
  
"B, come on, I'm your sister and your best friend, don't you think that if I had I would of told you?" Faith asked.  
  
"Well I just. . .sorry, oh my god you know what this means?" Buffy asked.  
  
"What?" Faith asked.  
  
"It means that mom's pregnant" Buffy said.  
  
"Oh my god. . .eew!" Faith said. "If mom's pregnant then she had to. . ."  
  
"Eew!" both girls said again and cringed.  
  
"Who's going to ask her?" Buffy asked.  
  
"You" both girls said at the same time.  
  
"Why me?" Faith asked.  
  
"Why me?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Because you look more like mom" Faith said.  
  
"Well you're taller" Buffy said.  
  
"What does that have to do with it?" Faith asked.  
  
"What does mom-looking-alikeness have to do with it?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Okay, we can stand here and argue on who's going to ask her, or we can both ask" Faith said logically.  
  
"Fine, let's both ask" Buffy said and took Faith's hand and they both went downstairs and into the kitchen where their mother was sitting and reading the paper.  
  
"H-hi mom" Faith said.  
  
"Whatcha doin'?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Oh, just reading the paper" Joyce said.  
  
"And having a baby" Buffy blurted out and then covered her mouth. Faith glared at her and Joyce turned around to face her twin daughters.  
  
"What did you say?" Joyce asked.  
  
"We know you're having a baby mom, we- well B, found the test in the trash" Faith said.  
  
"Oh, oh okay girls come, sit" Joyce said and they sat at the island with her. "Yes, I am having a baby."  
  
"Why didn't you tell us?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I'm sorry, I wanted to, I just didn't know how you two, and even Dawn were going to react to a new baby" Joyce said.  
  
"Who's the father?" Faith asked.  
  
"You do know who it is right?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yes, it's this man I met a couple months ago, his name is Curtis Jacobs, he's a really nice man" Joyce said.  
  
"He isn't moving in here with us is he?" Faith asked.  
  
"Well. . .I don't know, I haven't told him about the baby yet" Joyce said.  
  
"Mom, you have to tell him, and then tell him to stay away" Buffy said.  
  
"Buff" Faith scolded.  
  
"I'm sorry, but we're doing fine just the way we are, we don't have to depend on a man to survive" Buffy said.  
  
"I'm going to tell him, soon, I just. . .don't know how" Joyce said.  
  
"Well how about 'Hey Curt, we had sex and I go knocked up, how do you feel about that?'" Faith said.  
  
"God Faith, that's gross" Buffy said, nudging Faith in the arm.  
  
"But it gets her point across" Faith said and Buffy and Faith smiled.  
  
"I'm so happy you girls are having fun with this" Joyce smiled sarcastically.  
  
"Sorry mom, look, it's going to be okay, all right, we promise, you have us, all the way" Faith said.  
  
"Yeah, always" Buffy said.  
  
"Thank you, I'm glad" Joyce said.  
  
"You have to tell Dawnie" Buffy said.  
  
"I know, do you think she's going to react just as well, I mean she's the baby. When you two found out I was having another baby you were so angry" Joyce said.  
  
"Mom, we were six, Dawnie's ten, she'll be okay" Faith said.  
  
"I hope so" Joyce said. Suddenly Dawn walked through the door.  
  
"Um, I'm going to go over to Spike's, Faith want to *go*" Buffy said, emphasizing the 'go'.  
  
"Oh, uh, yeah" Faith said and Buffy grabbed the keys off the key rack.  
  
"See ya Dawnie" Buffy said and they left.  
  
"What's their deal?" Dawn asked, putting down her stuff and coming into the kitchen.  
  
"Uh, nothing, come here honey, I have to talk to you" Joyce said and Dawn sat with Joyce.  
  
"What is it, are you okay?" Dawn asked worryingly.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine, but uh. . .I have something to tell you. . .I'm going to have a baby" Joyce said and Dawn looked at her shocked.  
  
Buffy and Faith arrived at Spike's place a while later. They certainly didn't want to be in the house with Dawn when their mother told her about the baby.  
  
"Are you sure you want me here B? I mean you two. . ." Faith smirked.  
  
"Stop it, and yes it's fine" Buffy said and knocked on the door and Mr. Giles answered.  
  
"Oh, Buffy, Faith, do come in" Giles said.  
  
"Thanks Giles, is Spike here?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yes, he's downstairs in his room listening to the god awful music he likes so much" Giles said and Buffy smiled.  
  
"Thanks, nice tie" Buffy said looking at his tie.  
  
"Oh thank you, you're so kind" Giles said. "Well I'm off, got to work, see you girls." After he left Buffy and Faith went downstairs to Spike's room.  
  
"Hi" Buffy said.  
  
"Hey luv, Faith" Spike said and kissed Buffy. "What brings you here? Not that I'm not happy to see you."  
  
"Uh, well there's a little thing happening at home, and we don't really want to be there" Faith said.  
  
"What's the matter?" Spike asked.  
  
"Oh, aside from the fact that our mother's knocked up?" Buffy said.  
  
"What? Are you serious? That's. . .kind of gross actually, thinking of an older woman, especially a mother having-" Spike began, but Buffy put her hand over his mouth.  
  
"Do not finish that sentence" she warned and Spike smirked.  
  
"Don't worry, I got a parent too remember, uhg! That's just, wrong" Spike cringed.  
  
"Another baby, it's going to have to share a room with Dawn, 'cause there isn't any other place to go" Faith said.  
  
"I don't think Dawnie's gonna like that very much" Buffy said.  
  
"Well she's gonna have to get used to it" Faith said. "Do you t think it's safe to go home?"  
  
"I don't know" Buffy said.  
  
"I'm gonna go, you coming?" Faith asked and Buffy looked at Spike.  
  
"Uh. . .no, I think I'm gonna stay here for a while" Buffy said and Faith smirked.  
  
"I'm sure you two will have lots of fun" she said.  
  
"Bye" Buffy said and Faith left and Buffy turned to Spike. "So, what should we do?"  
  
"Do you even have to ask?" he asked her and pulled her into a kiss.  
Faith arrived home and Dawn was sitting on the front porch. Faith got out of the car and walked up and sat with her.  
  
"Hey Dawnie, what's the what?" Faith asked.  
  
"I can't believe mom's having a baby" Dawn said.  
  
"It's cool" Faith said.  
  
"No it isn't. . .we have enough people in this house, and I don't want to share a room" Dawn said and Faith put her arm around her little sister.  
  
"Dawn, you're going to have to get used to sharing a room, I mean B and I have done it ever since you were born" Faith said.  
  
"Were you happy when mom told you she was having me?" Dawn asked.  
  
"To tell you the truth, no. B and I were really little and we liked having mom all to ourselves, but we got used to you, you're a pretty okay kid, and hey, you get to be the big sister now" Faith said.  
  
"Yeah, I never thought of it that way, thanks Faith" Dawn said.  
  
"No problem, come on, let's go inside" Faith said and she and Dawn went inside.  
  
Buffy arrived home about five hours later. She went inside and saw her mother on the couch and went over to her.  
  
"Hey mom" she said.  
  
"Oh, Buffy, you're back, have fun?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Definitely" Buffy said. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Oh, I'm fine, just tired that's all, and trying to think of a way to tell Curtis about the baby" Joyce said and Buffy sat down.  
  
"Mom, how do you know if you love someone, I mean really love. I thought I loved Parker, I thought I loved Riley, but I got over them so easily, it couldn't of been love" Buffy said.  
  
"Well. . .why? Do you love Spike?" Joyce asked.  
  
"I don't know. . .how did you know you loved dad?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Well, I thought about him all the time. I wanted to be with him when he wasn't around, I got butterflies in my stomach every time I heard his name" Joyce said.  
  
"Well I certainly have all the symptoms, I'm just afraid to fall for him. Every time I've fallen for a guy they've betrayed me" Buffy said.  
  
"Well there's an old saying: love hurts" Joyce said.  
  
"Ain't that the truth" Buffy said. "Do you love Curt?"  
  
"I don't know, maybe" Joyce said.  
  
"Mom, that little remark Faith and I made about him not moving in here. . .if you love him, and you trust him, and you want him to be a part of this baby's life, then it's okay. Don't let Faith and I ruin this for you" Buffy said.  
  
"I'm not sure of anything yet honey. Maybe we should all get together for dinner this weekend, so you girls can meet him, you can bring Spike along" Joyce said.  
  
"Okay, sounds good to me, where's Faith?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Oh, she went over to Willow's to get some help with homework, she'll be home soon" Joyce said. "I'm going to go to bed, I'm beat, see you tomorrow." With that she went upstairs. 


	12. Children

ALL RIGHT, NEW CHAPTER. SORRY FOR THE WAIT FOR THE LAST ONE GUYS. PLEASE R/R!  
  
Joyce looked in the mirror. She had on a white floral dress that was two inches past her knees and was frilled at the bottom. It was sleeveless and had pink roses on it. Her shoulder length hair was combed out and put half way up. She had on white sandals to match and pink lipstick. She sighed as she left her room. She had told Curt a couple days before, but she was still nervous. Her family was meeting him for the first time. She went downstairs to make sure she had everything she needed.  
  
Meanwhile Faith and Buffy were getting ready themselves. Their mother had told them to dress nice, not in the teenagy way they always did. Buffy had on a blue floral dress that was 3 inches past her knees, which was sleeveless and white sandals to match. Faith had on a light pink dress, which was 3 inches past her knees that had flowers on it. She also had white sandals.  
  
"God I feel wicked stupid in this thing" Faith said.  
  
"Just remember, we're doing this for mom, that's all" Buffy said, fidgeting with her dress.  
  
"Right, for mom" Faith said.  
  
Joyce went into Dawn's room and she was busy putting her hair up. She had on a pink skirt, which had little pink and blue flowers on it. She also had on a blue, light long sleeved shirt. On her feet were blue sketchers. Her hair was curled and put up half was in a big pink bow.  
  
"Aw, Dawnie, you look so cute" Joyce said.  
  
"Thanks" Dawn said.  
  
"Okay, I need to see if your sisters are ready yet, meet us downstairs will you" Joyce said and went into Faith and Buffy's room. "Girls, are you- aw, you too look so pretty.'  
  
"Thanks" Faith said.  
  
"You girls ready?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Yep, let's boogie" Buffy said and got her purse and the four girls got into Joyce's minivan.  
  
Joyce and her daughters pulled up to Spike's place. They had to pick him up before going to the restaurant.  
  
"I'll be right back" Buffy said getting out of the van and going up to the front door. She knocked and a woman answered. She looked young, but had to be in her thirties. She had short dark brown hair and she was wearing nothing but a long t-shirt. "Uh. . .hi, I'm-"  
  
"Buffy, I know, Spike said you were coming" the woman said.  
  
"Uh. . ." Buffy said unsure.  
  
"I'm Jenny, Jenny Calendar, I'm Rupert's girlfriend. . .recently" Jenny said.  
  
"Oh, h-hey" Buffy said, a little relieved that she wasn't involved with Spike. "Is Spike ready?"  
  
"Uh, I think so, Spike" she called and Spike came to the door wearing a black pair of pants and a red silk long sleeved shirt.  
  
"Hey luv" he said and kissed her.  
  
"Hi, you ready?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, let's do it" Spike said. "Jenny, tell pops I'll be back later, see ya." With that he took Buffy's hand and they went back to the van.  
  
Joyce pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and they all got out. After getting settled at their table Joyce sighed.  
  
"Mom, are you okay?" Buffy asked taking a hold of Joyce's hand.  
  
"Yeah, just nervous, I mean he already knows about the baby, but. . .I don't really know where he stands on the whole thing" Joyce said.  
  
"Well don't worry, we're here for you no matter what" Faith said.  
  
"Yeah" Dawn said.  
  
"Thank you girls" Joyce said.  
  
"Hey, uh, you got me too Joyce" Spike added and Joyce smiled. Buffy gently took a hold of his chin and pulled him into a kiss. Just then a man dressed in a suit came up to their table.  
  
"Hi Joyce" he said. 'This must be Curt' Buffy thought.  
  
"Hi Curtis" Joyce said. 'Yep, it's Curt' Buffy thought. "Curtis, this is Faith" Joyce said introducing Faith. He shook her hand and she put on the best fake smile she could. "This is Elizabeth."  
  
"Buffy" Buffy told him and shook his hand.  
  
"And this is my youngest, Dawn" Joyce said and Curt shook her hand. "And this is Buffy's boyfriend William."  
  
"Spike" Spike told him and shook his hand.  
  
"Well it's nice to meet you all, I'm Curtis" he said with a smile and sat by Joyce.  
  
"So, Curt, how do ya feel about being a dad?" Faith asked and Buffy glared at her and hit her in the arm.  
  
"Faith!" she whispered loudly.  
  
"Well uh. . .it's. . .surprising, but. . .I like it" Curtis said.  
  
"How old are you?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Dawn" Joyce scolded.  
  
"No, it's okay, uh, I'm thirty-eight" Curtis said.  
  
"Huh, do you have any other children?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Uh, yes, I have a son named Brett, he's eleven and a daughter named Chelsea, she's fourteen" Curtis said.  
  
"You're not married are you?" Faith asked.  
  
"No, I'm divorced, I've been divorced for six years" Curtis said.  
  
"Do your kids live with you?" Dawn asked.  
  
"No, they live with their mother and her new husband, I see them every other weekend and every other week during the summer" Curtis said.  
  
"Do you love our mother?" Faith asked.  
  
"Now girls that's enough" Joyce scolded, embarrassed.  
  
"Yes I do" Curtis said and Joyce looked at him, surprised.  
  
"You do?" she asked.  
  
"Yes" Curtis said.  
  
"Well I. . .I love you too" she said and he kissed her. Faith, Buffy, Spike and Dawn looked away.  
  
"Eew" Dawn said.  
  
"Well, what do you say we order huh? If all the questions are over" Joyce said.  
  
"Good idea" Spike said.  
  
They ordered, ate and then decided that it would be a good idea to go and play some board games so they went back to Joyce's house. They got out Clue, Pictionary and the game of life.  
  
"Okay, teams of two" Joyce said.  
  
"Spike's mine" Buffy said.  
  
"I got mom" Faith said.  
  
"So Dawn, care to team up and kick their butts?" Curtis asked.  
  
"Sure" Dawn said.  
  
"All right, let's go" Curtis said. First they played Pictionary.  
  
"Okay" Spike said and drew a hand and made arrows going back and forth. Then he drew a bird.  
"All right um. . .uh. . .bye. . .bird? Oh! Bye-bye birdie!" Buffy said.  
  
"Yes" Spike said.  
  
"Ha, we rule!" Buffy said and kissed Spike.  
  
"Okay, our turn" Dawn said and got up and picked a piece of paper out of the hat and read it. "Okay." She drew a tiny figure and put a line that looked like a ruler beside it. Then she scribbled with red marker, next she drew a guy on a bike and last she drew a car and pointed to the top of it.  
  
"All right" Curtis said. "Uh, the first one. . .small, tiny. . ." he named off and Dawn shook her head no. "Little." Dawn shook her head yes. "Okay, little. . .scribble. . ." he said and she shook her head no and pointed to it and then held up the red marker. "Red, red" he said and she shook her head yes. "Okay, little red. . .bike, riding a. . .riding a. . .riding, right" he said and she shook her head yes. "Okay and the top of a car is the. . .oh, little red riding hood."  
  
"Yes!" Dawn said and high-fived Curtis. Next Faith and Joyce went. They played this a couple more times and moved on to the other games.  
  
Curtis went home at about eleven-thirty. Joyce went up to bed as well and so did Dawn. Faith, Spike and Buffy were left downstairs.  
  
"I can go upstairs if you two want to make out" Faith joked.  
  
"Great, thanks" Buffy said.  
  
"I was kidding B" Faith said.  
  
"I wasn't" Buffy smiled. Faith rolled her eyes and got up.  
  
"Fine" she said.  
  
"Well you don't have to go upstairs" Buffy said.  
  
"I really don't want to watch you two make out" Faith said and went upstairs.  
  
"We're alone" Buffy said.  
  
"Yes, we are" Spike said and kissed her. They spent a long time making out and then he went home and she went upstairs and went to sleep. The next morning Buffy and Faith woke to the sound of their mother throwing up in the bathroom.  
  
"Mom?" Buffy asked and knocked on the door.  
  
"Mom are you okay?" Faith asked. Joyce flushed the toilet and opened the door.  
  
"Yeah girls, I'm fine, just a little morning sickness that's all, I'm fine" Joyce said.  
  
"Do you want something mom, tea, coffee, water?" Buffy asked.  
  
"We can make you some food" Faith offered.  
  
"Oh, that's sweet but you don't have to do that, I can make breakfast" Joyce said.  
  
"No, mom it's really no trouble" Buffy said and took Joyce's arm. "Come on, come downstairs and sit on the couch and Faith and I will make breakfast, what do you want?"  
  
"Um, whatever you make is fine girls, thank you" Joyce said and went into the living room. Buffy and Faith made eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy, and toast.  
  
"Okay, here you go mom" Faith said. "Dawn, breakfast!"  
  
"Thank you girls, this was very sweet of you" Joyce said and took a bite of it. "Mmm, very good too."  
  
"We're glad you like it" Buffy said and kissed Joyce on the forehead. Dawn came down the stairs, yawning and sat at the dining room table with everyone else.  
  
"Breakfast good" she said in a sleepy Tarzan voice and put some bacon in her mouth. "Dawn like breakfast."  
  
"Stay up too late honey?" Joyce asked Dawn.  
  
"Game playing equals hyperness equals no sleep equals Dawn feeling sleepy" Dawn said and Joyce smiled.  
  
"So, mom, have you thought of any names yet?" Buffy asked, biting a piece of toast.  
  
"Not yet, but I don't even know what it is yet" Joyce said.  
  
"When can you find out?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Not for another five months" Joyce said.  
  
"I want to help name it" Dawn said.  
  
"Ooh, me too, if it's a girl, we should give it a really girly name, like. . .Lilly or Hailey or something" Buffy said.  
  
"Well, we'll see. . .girls. . .you like Curtis right?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Sure, he seems like a nice enough guy, just as long as he doesn't like take over our lives and start telling us what to do we'll be five by five" Faith said.  
  
"What are you two gonna do, I mean are you gonna get married?" Buffy asked. "Is he gonna move in here, 'cause I don't want to move."  
  
"I'm not sure honey" Joyce said.  
  
"Well you need to know, I mean you're not gonna be pregnant forever" Faith said.  
  
"I know, geez, all this is just so stressful" Joyce said.  
  
"Well just take it easy" Faith said. "You can use this pregnant thing as an excuse to be lazy, hell I'd take advantage of it." Buffy smiled at her sister's remark. Suddenly the phone rang and Dawn got up and answered it.  
  
"Hello?" she said. "Dad? Hi, yeah I'm good, they're good too, uh yeah she's here, hold on." With that Dawn brought the phone over to Joyce. "It's dad, he wants to talk to you."  
  
"Hello? Hi Hank. . .yes, here? This weekend? Uh . . .sure, okay, see you then, bye" Joyce said and hung up the phone.  
  
"What did he want?" Faith asked.  
  
"He's in town this weekend and he wants to stop by, he'll be here Saturday" Joyce said.  
  
"Cool" Dawn said.  
  
"Okay, well breakfast was great girls, but I have to get ready for work" Joyce said and got up.  
  
"Wait, work? But you're pregnant, you should rest" Buffy said.  
  
"Sweetheart I'm fine, and besides, I don't get maternity leave until I'm at least eight months pregnant, and just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean the bills aren't gonna stop coming" Joyce said and went upstairs.  
  
"We should get jobs, to help out mom" Buffy said.  
  
"That's a great idea" Faith said.  
  
"I want to get a job too" Dawn said.  
  
"Dawn you're ten, you can't get a job yet" Faith said. "Come on B, let's go look." With that Faith and Buffy went upstairs. Dawn sighed and took the plates into the kitchen and put them into the dishwasher.  
  
Buffy stood in front of the mirror. She was wearing a nice work suit that was professional, but equally cute. Her hair was curled and she had on a little makeup, but not too much. She had gotten a job. Spike's dad, Giles owned his own business and Buffy got a job as his secretary. Spike worked for his father also as his assistant.  
  
"So, how do I look?" Buffy asked Faith.  
  
"Very cool, yet professional" Faith smiled.  
  
"This is so great, I get to work with Spike" Buffy said.  
  
"Yeah and make out with him more, hey you can do it at work" Faith said.  
  
"No we can't. . .well probably can't" Buffy said and Faith smiled.  
  
"Okay, Spike will be here any minute, you ready?" Faith asked.  
  
"Yep" Buffy said and went downstairs to the living room where Joyce and Dawn were. "Introducing the new Buffy, Buffy the working gal."  
  
"You look great honey" Joyce smiled.  
  
"Well I thank you, you're so kind" Buffy said in a British accent and then the doorbell rang and she went over and answered it.  
  
"Hey luv" Spike said.  
  
"Hi" she smiled and kissed him.  
  
"You look nice" he said.  
  
"Thank you, so do you" she said. "Do you want to come in?"  
  
"Sure, for a minute" Spike said and entered the house and he and Buffy went back into the living room. "How are ya Joyce?"  
  
"Okay, thanks" Joyce said.  
  
"That's good" Spike said. "How far along are you?"  
  
"Uh, ten and a half weeks" Joyce said.  
  
"Hey Spike, lookin' sharp" Faith said, looking at Spike. He had on a suit and tie.  
  
"Thanks luv, all right baby, we got to go, don't want to be late, pops will have my head" Spike said, taking Buffy's hand.  
  
"Bye mom, see you after work" Buffy said and left with Spike.  
  
Joyce stood in front of the mirror looking at herself. It had been so long since she had been pregnant. Ten and a half years to be exact. She hadn't been pregnant since Dawn. It was going to be strange. I mean she was going to be a thirty-six, well by the time the baby was born she'd be a thirty-seven year old mother of an infant. All this was just so weird to her. And the part about her and Curtis. She had no idea what they were going to do. All she knew was that Curtis wanted to be in the baby's life, which was good right? And then there were clothes, diapers, blankets, a crib, and names, baby formula, a stroller. Her head began to hurt thinking of all this and she went to lay down. Her ex-husband was coming into town this weekend and she had to tell him about the baby. She sighed thinking of all that was ahead of her. She had lots to do and she had to figure everything out soon. 


	13. Complicated Situations

Buffy sat at her desk at work looking on the Internet for baby names. She couldn't help herself. This whole baby thing was growing on her much more than she though it would. She found herself really exited about the baby. Suddenly the phone rang and Buffy answered it.  
  
"Hello, Giles, Leagdan and Cline, this is Buffy how can I help you today?" she answered.  
  
"Hey B, that's quite an introduction you got there" Faith said and Buffy rolled her eyes.  
  
"Faith, I'm working, what do you want?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I just called to tell you that I got a job, isn't that cool?" Faith said.  
  
"Where?" Buffy asked.  
  
"At Mike's Auto" Faith said.  
  
"An auto store? Faith you know nothing about cars" Buffy said.  
  
"So, Mike said that I attract a lot of customers, being so hot and all" Faith said.  
  
"Well congrats, now stop calling, I'm gonna get into trouble" Buffy said.  
  
"Oh please, you're doin' the boss' son, he's not gonna fire you" Faith joked.  
  
"Shut up, I'll see you at home, I love you, now stop calling" Buffy said and hung up the phone.  
  
"Buffy, I'd like you to sort through these files please, put common ones together, well create a new filing system, can you do that?" Giles asked.  
  
"Sure, but I'm gonna have to charge you an extra five dollars for each file" Buffy said and Giles looked at her weirdly. "Giles I'm kidding."  
  
"Oh, right, very good then. . .good" Giles said and went back into his office. Just then Spike came through the front door carrying some boxes.  
  
"Bloody hell this stuff is arduous" he said.  
  
"Arduous? How very British of you" Buffy joked.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, very funny" Spike said, setting down the boxes and coming over to the papers Buffy had taken out of one of the files. "I see dad's got you hard at work, maybe after you can uh. . .work for me" he hinted.  
  
"Play your cards right" she smirked and he kissed her and went back over to the boxes. "Hey, uh, my dad's coming from L.A. for a visit, I want you to meet him, I want him to meet you, do you have plans on Saturday?"  
  
"Uh, no, I'm all yours pet" he said.  
  
"Good, I think he's gonna like you, in fact I know he will" Buffy smiled and went back to her filing.  
  
"Good then, Saturday it is, but first we have to get through this week, proficiency and all" Spike said.  
  
"Ugh, don't remind me" Buffy said. "God I hate proficiency, it's so boring."  
  
"Well yeah, 'cause if it was fun then school wouldn't be allowed to give it" Spike said. "Well got to get these soddin' boxes to the back and do inventory, you enjoy your filing there." He picked the boxes back up and took them into the back.  
  
Buffy arrived home at eight o'clock and she still had homework to do. She'd do this every weekend. Wait until Sunday night to do all of her homework. Once done she took a shower and went to bed.  
  
The next day Buffy and Faith's alarm clock went off at six o'clock. Faith sleepily pounded her fist down on it and sat up.  
  
"Ugh, Monday mornings suck" she grumbled and got out of bed. "B, come on get up." She shook her sister.  
  
"Spike, just a little longer okay" she said sleepily and Faith smirked.  
  
"Buffy" Faith said louder, and Buffy jumped up.  
  
"Huh, what's going on?" she asked.  
  
"Dreaming of happy things?" Faith asked with a grin.  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact I was" Buffy said and got out of bed. "God I don't want to go to school."  
  
"Well either do I, but what can we do" Faith said and went to her closet and got out a pair of dark blue jeans, a black t-shirt that said: 'Don't hate me because I'm beautiful, hate me because your boyfriend thinks so' in red letters. She also got out her red sweat jacket and tennis shoes.  
  
"That's a new look for you" Buffy said.  
  
"I just don't feel like being leathery today" Faith said and started to get dressed. Buffy went over to her closet and decided Faith had a good idea. She got out her gray sweatpants that had the world princess on the butt of them in white letters. She got out a simple white t-shirt and her gray sweat jacket that said 'Beauty' on it. She got dressed also. Buffy put her hair in low pigtail braids and Faith put hers up in a ponytail. After they had their shoes on and they got their schoolbags and purses they went downstairs to where Dawn and Joyce were sitting in the kitchen.  
  
"Hey girls" Joyce said.  
  
"Hi mom, how are you?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I'm doing fine, thank you for asking, oh, you don't have to take Dawn to school today, I'm going to take her."  
  
"Cool, now we can stop for doughnuts and coffee" Buffy said.  
  
"All right, let's roll" Faith said and Buffy grabbed the keys off the key rack. "Bye mom, love you" Faith said and kissed Joyce on the cheek and Buffy did the same.  
  
"Bye mom" Buffy said and she and Faith left.  
  
Faith and Buffy arrived at the school with their box of doughnuts and their cups of coffee and went inside to find their friends. They found them quickly and went over to them.  
  
"Hey guys, doughnuts, anyone want?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Ooh, me" Willow said and picked one up.  
  
"Me too, thanks" Cordelia said and got one also.  
  
"Hey, you guys look cute" Willow said.  
  
"Thanks" Faith said.  
  
"Have you guys seen Spike?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Uh-uh, why do you need to talk to him?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"Not about anything specific, but I just want to talk to him" Buffy said.  
  
"Right 'cause you didn't do enough of that yesterday" Faith said.  
  
"As a matter of fact we didn't" Buffy said.  
  
"To busy doing something else?" Faith asked jokingly.  
  
"Shut up" Buffy grinned and then spotted Riley making out with Hannah and got sort of sad look on her face.  
  
"Are you okay?" Faith asked, not knowing what was wrong.  
  
"Uh, yeah, I'm fine" Buffy said and look away from Riley. Faith looked in the direction Buffy was looking and saw Riley.  
  
"It's just Riley" Faith said confused.  
  
"I know" Buffy said.  
  
"You don't still love him do you?" Faith questioned.  
  
"No, of course not, I lo- care for Spike" Buffy caught herself. She didn't want to use the 'L" word referring to Spike just yet, but Faith caught the little slip and her eyebrows raised.  
  
"Love?" she asked.  
  
"I said 'care for'" Buffy reminded her.  
  
"But you were about to say love, do you love him?" Faith asked.  
  
"I. . .I don't know, look I don't want to talk about this okay" Buffy said and walked over to a table and sat down, Faith, Willow and Cordelia followed.  
  
"You do don't you, you love him" Faith said.  
  
"Faith, please, I don't want to talk about it" Buffy said.  
  
"B, you don't have to lie, I mean we all know the answer anyway, why don't you want to admit it?" Faith asked.  
  
"Because I don't want to lose him okay" Buffy said.  
  
"Why would you lose him?" Willow asked.  
  
"Every guy I've ever loved, or thought I loved has left me, I mean, god don't you see, I'm dysfunctional, I can't keep a man satisfied" Buffy said and laid her head on the table.  
  
"B, Spike's more than satisfied" Faith said.  
  
"Yeah, he's crazy about you" Cordelia said.  
  
"Everyone knows that" Willow added.  
  
"Yeah, now, but as soon as the "L" word pops out badness ensues" Buffy said.  
  
"You can't hold on to the past, it's just going to weigh you down" Willow said. "Riley and Parker are of the past."  
  
"Yeah, but then there was Angel, and all the other guys. . .I mean I haven't slept with anyone but Spike, thank god, but. . .I don't want to lose him too" Buffy said.  
"Sweetie, you're not going to lose Spike okay, I promise" Faith said.  
  
At the end of the day Faith and Buffy stopped at the store to get some things for the house. They wanted to do most of the everyday chores so their mother didn't have to. Since they both had jobs Dawn did the stuff around the house like laundry and the dishes and Faith and Buffy helped with the bills and went grocery shopping. They were walking around Carlson's market trying to find some stuff for dinner on Saturday.  
  
"Hey, what about pot roast?" Faith asked.  
  
"Dad's allergic to potatoes" Buffy reminded her.  
  
"Oh yeah, and you can't make a pot roast without potatoes" Faith said. "Who's all going to be there?"  
  
"Uh, mom, dad, you, me, Dawn and Spike" Buffy said.  
  
"Oh, Spike's coming?" Faith asked.  
  
"Of course he is, I want dad to meet the guy I'm-" Buffy began.  
  
"In love with?" Faith offered.  
  
"That I'm-" Buffy tried again.  
  
"Sleeping with?" Faith offered again.  
  
"No, that I'm seeing" Buffy finally got out her sentence. "I want dad to meet him, I want Spike to meet dad."  
  
"Well that's good" Faith said. "What about stuffed cabbage."  
  
"Ooh, yeah, that's perfect, everyone in our family loves stuffed cabbage" Buffy said.  
  
"Does Spike?" Faith asked.  
  
"I. . .I don't know, hold on" Buffy said and took out her cell phone and dialed Spike's number. It rang a couple times and Jenny Calendar answered.  
  
"Hello?" she said.  
  
"Hi, Miss Calendar?" Buffy asked, making sure it was her.  
  
"Yes, and please call me Jenny" Jenny said.  
  
"Hi Jenny, um, is Spike there?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yeah, hold on" Jenny said and then went to get Spike.  
  
"Hello?" Spike said into the phone.  
  
"Hi" Buffy said happily.  
  
"Hey baby, what's up?" Spike asked.  
  
"I just have a quick question" Buffy said.  
  
"Okay, what is it?" Spike asked.  
  
"Do you like stuffed cabbage?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yeah, I love it why?" Spike asked.  
  
"Faith and I were thinking of making it on Saturday" Buffy said.  
  
"Oh, well I hope you do" Spike said.  
  
"Good, okay, see ya" Buffy said.  
  
"Bye" Spike said and they hung up.  
  
"Okay, stuffed cabbage it is" Buffy said.  
  
"Okay, here's our list" Faith said after adding the things they needed for the stuffed cabbage.  
  
Grocery List Milk Bread Pop Pepsi - For Mom Root Beer - For Dawn Diet Dr. Pepper - For Buffy Coke - For Faith Celery Pop tarts Popcorn Laundry soap Dish detergent Tampons Toilet Paper Paper Towels Yogurt (non-fat) Chips Pretzels Cabbage Ground Beef Rice Sour Kraut  
  
After they got what they needed they went home.  
  
"Hey girls, what did you get?" Joyce asked when Buffy and Faith came in with the groceries.  
  
"Do you need any help?" Dawn asked.  
  
"No, we got it" Faith said and they went into the kitchen.  
  
"So, what did you get?" Joyce asked.  
  
"We got lots of stuff, plus all the stuff to make stuffed cabbage" Buffy said.  
  
"When are you making that?" Dawn asked.  
  
"When daddy comes this weekend" Buffy said.  
  
"Oh" Dawn said.  
  
"Oh, honey, this came for you" Joyce said and handed Buffy a long box. Buffy opened it and there were a dozen pink roses and a card.  
  
"Wow" Buffy breathed and opened the card and it read:  
  
Dear Buffy,  
We've been dating for a while now, but we've never gone on a date. I want that to change. I want us to be a real couple and go on real dates. If you want Friday night I'd like to take you out to dinner and a movie. I know that your father is coming on Saturday and I want you to be able to introduce me as your boyfriend. Well call me all right, if you're interested on the date thing. Anyway I'll wait for your call.  
  
Love,  
Spike  
  
"Wow" Faith said.  
  
"Oh my god" Buffy smiled. "This is so sweet."  
  
"You're going to go right?" Faith asked.  
  
"Of course" Buffy said and picked up the phone. "Will you guys put these groceries away I-"  
  
"Go ahead, we got it" Joyce said.  
  
"Thanks" Buffy said and ran upstairs. After she was upstairs she called Spike.  
  
"Hello?" he answered and she smiled at the sound of his voice.  
  
"Hi" she said happily.  
  
"Hey, did you like the flowers?" he asked.  
  
"I love them, and I would love to go out with you on Friday night" Buffy said.  
  
"Good, so it's a date" Spike said.  
  
"Our first, well our first real date" Buffy said.  
  
"Yeah" Spike said. "Uh, do you want to come over here, you know, to uh. . .study?"  
  
"Study what?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Uh, stuff" Spike said.  
"I would love to, but I can't, I have to study" Buffy said.  
  
"I just said-" Spike began.  
  
"I know what you meant" Buffy cut him off.  
  
"All right, well, I'll let you go" Spike said.  
  
"Okay, I love you" Buffy said and her eyes went wide when she realized what she said and she hung up the phone quickly.  
  
"Hello? Buffy? Buffy?" Spike said into the phone. Her words had cut him off guard. He hung up the phone wondering if she meant what she said. 


	14. Heart Pumping

Spike dialed Buffy's number for the hundredth time. He wanted to talk to her, needed to. He couldn't believe that she had said those worlds to him. He wanted to tell her he loved her too. That he always did, but every time he dialed her number the phone would ring many times and she wouldn't answer. Finally he gave up and got his coat. He decided to go and talk to her in person. He wanted to tell her how he felt in person. He got in his car and drove to her house. He got out of the car and Buffy was sitting on the porch, her head buried in her hands. He walked up to her.  
  
"Buffy" he said and she looked up quickly.  
  
"Spike. . .what, what are you doing here?" she asked, getting up and walking backward, up to the top step of the porch.  
  
"I need to talk to you" he said and he came toward her, but she backed away.  
  
"About what?" she asked, pretending not to know what he was talking about.  
  
"You bloody well know what about" he said.  
  
"Spike I. . .what I said, I didn't. . ." Buffy said.  
  
"Buffy, I have to tell you something" Spike said.  
  
"What?" she asked and he came right up to her.  
  
"I love you too" he whispered to her.  
  
"You do?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, very much" he said sweetly and she kissed him.  
  
"Now our relationship doesn't just have to be about sex" she said excitedly and he laughed at her.  
  
"It never was luv" he said and she hugged him.  
  
"Come inside, I want to tell Faith" she said, pulling him inside and upstairs. "Faith!"  
  
"What?" Faith asked hurriedly. She thought something had happened.  
  
"Spike, Spike and I said I love you to each other!" Buffy said and Spike chuckled at her. She was acting like a child.  
  
"Well it's about time" Faith said.  
  
"What do you mean?" Buffy asked.  
  
"B, come on, I've known you two were crazy in love with each other for a long time" Faith said.  
  
"Well, why didn't you tell me?" Buffy pouted.  
  
"Because it's not something you tell someone, you had to figure it out on your own, and I'm glad you finally did, congratulations" Faith said and hugged Buffy and then Spike.  
  
"Thank you" Buffy smiled.  
  
"Thanks Faith" Spike said.  
  
"Well you're both very welcome, oh, what time is it?" Faith asked, lifting Spike's hand to look at his watch and it read 5:00. "God, I have to get to work."  
  
"With Mike?" Buffy asked with a smirk.  
  
"Yes, why?" Faith asked.  
  
"You love him" Buffy said in a sing-song voice.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Faith asked.  
  
"Oh come on, I know you're hot for him" Buffy said. "But you better not date him, he's like thirty-five."  
  
"He is not, and besides, there's another guy that I would like to date, but I don't know if he like's me" Faith said.  
  
"Why wouldn't he, you're beautiful" Buffy said. "Who is it?"  
  
"No one" Faith said.  
"Faith" Buffy scolded. "Spike, can you give us a little girl time?"  
  
"Sure" Spike said and kissed Buffy on the cheek. "I got to go anyway, I'll call you, I love you."  
  
"I love you too" Buffy said and Spike left. "Now, tell me who is guy is."  
  
"Okay, his name is Levant Taylor, he's really hot, and sweet and, I really like him" Faith said.  
  
"Levant, that's a nice name" Buffy said. "Do I know him?"  
  
"You tell me" Faith said and got out her yearbook and opened it to his picture.  
  
"Ooh, I do know him, I was in math and history class with. . .oh, L.T. see that's the only name I knew him by" Buffy said.  
  
"Oh, well do you think he'd go out with me?" Faith asked.  
  
"I'm sure, if you'd ask him, wow, I've never seen you act this introverted before" Buffy asked.  
  
"Well don't tell anyone" Faith said.  
  
"I won't" Buffy said and Faith got ready for work.  
  
"Okay, got to go, see you later" Faith said and left.  
  
Buffy worked on her homework while Faith was at work. She had to write a short story for English and she had no idea what to write about. She finally got an idea. She would write a story about a girl in love with a dangerous guy and she finds out that she's pregnant.  
  
"Okay mom, want to hear what I have for my story?" Buffy asked her mother.  
  
"Sure honey, let's hear it" Joyce said.  
  
"Okay, the story's about a girl named Julianne who's in love with this guy named Brogan James, the only thing is that he's this like dangerous drug dealer, and she sleeps with him and she finds out that she's pregnant. This whole story is about how she's trying to tell him that she's pregnant. Maybe I'll write a sequel to it about her having the baby and raising it or something" Buffy said.  
  
"Well honey it sounds really interesting" Joyce said.  
  
"Thank you" Buffy said and Joyce closed her eyes. "Mom, are you okay?"  
  
"Uh, I don't know I. . .oh. . .Buffy, call 911, now" Joyce said and Buffy's heart jumped as she ran to the phone. She didn't know what was wrong with her mother, but all she knew was that she needed help. 


	15. Don't scare me like that

Okay guys, sorry for the wait and the short chapter last time. I've just been really busy. So here's the next chapter. Enjoy, and as always, r/r, thanks!  
  
Buffy watched as they wheeled her mother out of the house and into the ambulance. She stayed behind to go get Dawn and Faith. Her heart was beating so fast that she thought it might explode. She grabbed her mother's keys off the rack and jumped in her car and sped out of the driveway. She went to Dawn's friend's house to pick Dawn up first. She didn't tell her what had happened she just said that they needed to go. After that she went to Mike's Auto to get Faith.  
  
"Faith!" she said and ran into the store.  
  
"B, what's wrong?" Faith asked, coming from behind the desk.  
  
"It's mom, we have to go, now" Buffy said and ran out of the store. Faith grabbed her keys and joined her sister.  
  
They got to the hospital as soon as they could and ran to the front desk.  
  
"Hi, our mom's here, Joyce Summers" Faith said.  
  
"You're the Summers girls?" a doctor said and came up to them.  
  
"Yes, is our mother okay?" Buffy asked.  
  
"She's fine, it was just a bad anxiety attack that's all" the doctor said.  
  
"Oh, oh god, thank you" Buffy breathed and noticed that tears were running down her cheeks and wiped them away.  
  
"Can we see her?" Faith asked.  
  
"Of course" the doctor said and led them into Joyce's room.  
  
Buffy took Dawn's hand and she, Faith and Dawn went into Joyce's room. She was lying there, her head turned away from the doorway.  
  
"Mom?" Faith asked.  
"  
"Oh, hi girls, oh Buffy, I'm so sorry I scared you" Joyce said and Buffy went over to her mother.  
  
"It's okay mom, you just worry about getting better all right" Buffy said quietly and kissed Joyce on the forehead.  
  
"Mommy, are you okay?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Oh, yeah baby, I'm fine" Joyce said. "Come here sweetheart." Dawn went over to Joyce and sat on the edge of her bed.  
  
"What about the baby?" Faith asked, also coming closer.  
  
"The baby's fine too" Joyce said.  
  
"Good, when can we take you home?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Not until tomorrow" the doctor said and came into the room. "We just want to run some tests to make sure that your mother doesn't have toxemia, or any other pregnancy related disorders."  
  
"Toxemia? What's that?" Faith asked.  
  
"It's a blood pressure condition found in pregnant women, it's not very likely that you have toxemia Joyce, but. . ." the doctor said.  
  
"Better safe than sorry?" Joyce offered.  
  
"Exactly" the doctor said with a smile and left the room again. After he did all three of Joyce's girls climbed into bed and cuddled with her.  
  
"Mom, if you ever scare us like that again there'll be hell to pay, got it" Faith said.  
  
"I promise" Joyce smiled.  
  
"I guess we should cancel the dinner on Saturday" Dawn said.  
  
"And my date with Spike on Friday" Buffy added.  
  
"No, don't any of you dare cancel anything, I'm gong to be fine, I'll be able to go home soon and we're going to go on with our plans" Joyce said.  
  
"Do you want me to call Curtis for you mom?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yes, will you?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Of course" Buffy said and got off the bed. "Anything I can get anyone while I'm..."  
  
"I'll come with you" Faith said and got down also. "We'll be back in a minute." Buffy and Faith walked out of the room and to the nearest payphone.  
  
"Do you have a quarter?" Buffy asked, her voice become shaky.  
  
"Yeah, here" Faith said and handed her sister the quarter and Buffy inserted it into the payphone. "Where's your cell?"  
  
"Uh...I left it in the car" Buffy said, looking through her mother's appointment book for Curtis's number. Once she found it she dialed the number and a woman answered.  
  
"Hello?" the woman asked.  
  
"Is Curtis there?" Buffy asked.  
  
"He's in the shower, do you want me to go get him?" the woman asked.  
  
"Who is this?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I'm Curtis's wife" the woman asked.  
  
"His what?" Buffy asked, surprised.  
  
"Who is it?" Faith asked, but Buffy didn't answer her.  
  
"His wife, who is this?" the woman asked, but Buffy hung up the phone.  
  
"B, what's wrong?" Faith asked.  
  
"Curtis's wife answered the phone, said he was in the shower, I can't believe that bastard" Buffy said angrily.  
  
"You mean he's been cheating on mom?" Faith asked as she and Buffy sat in two of the chairs that were next to the payphone.  
  
"Or cheating on his wife, any way you put it he's still be cheating, god that rat" Buffy said. "I can't deal with this."  
  
"You? How do you think mom's going to take this?" Faith asked.  
  
"I'm scared Faith" Buffy admitted as she looked at her sister.  
  
"What do you mean? Scared of what?" Faith asked.  
  
"What if mom isn't okay? I mean what if she..." Buffy trailed off, tears now trickling from her eyes.  
  
"Buffy, mom's going to be fine" Faith said.  
  
"This is the scariest thing that has ever happened to me, I just..." Buffy said and Faith hugged her.  
  
"Hey, mom's strong, and you heard what the doctor said, it was just an anxiety attack" Faith said.  
  
"I know" Buffy said and Spike came around the corner.  
  
"Hey" he said and Buffy stood up and hugged him and kissed him.  
  
"Hi, thanks for coming" Buffy said.  
  
"Anytime, is your mum okay?" Spike asked.  
  
"Yeah, she's going to be fine" Faith said. "How did you know?"  
  
"I called him on my way to get Dawn" Buffy informed her.  
  
"Come on, let's get back to mom" Faith said and Spike took Buffy's hand and they went back into Joyce's room. 


	16. Romance

Joyce was released from the hospital the next day and was allowed to go home. The week passed quickly and finally it was Friday. After school Buffy got ready for her date with Spike.  
  
"Okay, how do I look?" Buffy asked Faith.  
  
"You look great" Faith told her. Buffy was wearing a red silk dress, which was knee length. She had on skinny red heels to match.  
  
"Do you think Spike will like it?" Buffy asked.  
  
"B, Spike would love you no matter what you were wearing, especially if you weren't wearing anything" Faith smirked.  
  
"Stop that, I just want to look good" Buffy said.  
  
"B, you look hot okay, stop obsessing" Faith told her.  
  
"All right, all right" Buffy said and the doorbell rang. "Oh, that's him."  
  
"Buffy, Spike's here" Joyce called.  
  
"Okay mom, thanks" Buffy said and she and Faith went downstairs to where Spike was sitting on the couch talking to Dawn and Joyce. "Hi."  
  
"Hey bab-" Spike began, but stopped when he saw her. "Wow."  
  
"That's a good wow, right?" Buffy asked and he stood up and came closer to her.  
  
"Yes, defiantly" Spike said, looking her up and down. "Uh, so, can I kiss you or will you hit me for messing up your lipstick?"  
  
"I'll hit you if you don't" Buffy smiled and he kissed her.  
  
"Are you ready to go luv?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, let's go" Buffy said and took Spike's hand. "We'll see ya guys later."  
  
"Okay honey, have a good time" Joyce said and Buffy and Spike left.  
  
Spike was really nervous about this date. He wanted everything to be perfect for her. He didn't want anything to go wrong tonight. Buffy could tell something was wrong by the expression on his face as he drove to the restaurant.  
  
"Honey what's the matter?" she asked sweetly to him.  
  
"Huh? Oh, nothing luv, I'm fine" Spike said to her.  
  
"Spike, I know you, something's up, do you not want to go, 'cause we don't have to" Buffy said.  
  
"No, no baby, it's not that. . .I'm just a little nervous that's all" Spike said and Buffy smiled at him.  
  
"What? Nervous why? Spike we've slept together, many times, hell we've done thing that haven't even been invented yet, why are you nervous?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I don't know. . .I just want everything to go without a glitch tonight. . .I just want to take your mind off of things, the baby, your mum, the piss ant who's cheating on your mum, everything" Spike said and Buffy smiled and leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"Spike, I'm here with you, everything is perfect. . .and. . .if you really want to take my mind off of things. . .we could go back to your place after our date" Buffy said.  
  
"Way ahead of you luv, not that I planned this night around that" Spike said.  
  
"You don't have to explain anything" Buffy assured him and he pulled into the restaurant parking lot.  
  
"All right, we're here" he said and they got out.  
  
"Angelino's" Buffy said in awe. "Spike this is the most expensive restaurant in the city, are you sure-"  
  
"I'm positive luv, it's not a problem, come on" Spike said and offered his arm to her and she took it and he led her inside. "Reservations for Gils, William."  
  
"Right this way sir" the waiter said and led them to a table in one of the corners of the restaurant.  
  
"Oh, this is so beautiful" Buffy said as they sat.  
  
"Well I'm glad you like it baby, always the best for you" Spike said and Buffy smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips.  
  
"Your wine sir" a waiter said and showed him the bottle.  
  
"Year 81?" Spike asked.  
  
"Yes sir, 1981" the waiter confirmed.  
  
"Perfect, thank you" Spike said and the waiter poured two glasses and put the bottle in an ice box on the table and left.  
  
"Why 1981?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Well it has to be a good year, it was the year you were born" Spike smiled.  
  
"This is so romantic" Buffy said, smiling at him and looked around.  
  
"You like?" he asked her.  
  
"Yes, of course" Buffy said.  
  
"Well good, I'm glad" Spike told her and another waiter came up.  
  
"Hello, good evening, I'm John, I'll be your waiter this evening, would you care for an appetizer before you order?" John asked.  
  
"Oh, uh. . .sweetheart, do you want any?" Spike asked Buffy.  
  
"Oh, no thank you" Buffy said politely to the waiter.  
  
"We're good mate, thank you" Spike told him and he smiled and handed them their menus.  
  
"Very well, I'll be back shortly to take your order" John said and left.  
  
"So luv, what will it be?" Spike asked.  
  
"Oh. . .I don't know. . .linguine, I love linguine" Buffy decided.  
  
"All right, and I'm going to have the most obvious choice at an Italian restaurant, spaghetti" Spike said and the waiter came back and they gave him their orders. "So tell me luv, are you excited about tomorrow, your pops coming and all?"  
  
"Yeah I am, I miss my dad, and I can't wait for him to meet you" Buffy said.  
  
"Well me either pet" Spike said. "What's your mum going to do about captain adultery?"  
  
"I don't know, she hasn't said anything abut daddy Curt since we told her about him and his wife not exactly being divorced like he said, I just feel so bad for her, I mean here she is having to raise a baby and then she finds out that the man she loves, the father of her child is a lying scheming jerk-face, I hope she's going to be okay" Buffy said.  
  
"Well your mum's strong baby, she'll bounce back" Spike said and the waiter brought their food to them. "Thanks mate."  
  
"Yeah, thank you" Buffy said.  
  
"You're welcome" he said politely and left.  
  
After eating and paying the bill Spike took Buffy to the beach.  
  
"Ooh, this is nice, it's a nice night for walking along the beach" Buffy said.  
  
"That's not why I brought you here luv" Spike informed her.  
  
"Oh, did we come here to. . .?" Buffy asked and Spike's eyes widened a little.  
  
"Oh, no! No, I mean it would be great, but, that's not why I brought you here either" Spike said.  
  
"Okay, so why did you bring me here?" Buffy asked and Spike walked over to a bench where there was a small boom box sitting there. He turned it on and slow music began to play.  
  
"To dance" he said. "After all, it is what started our relationship isn't it?" Buffy's eyes filled with tears as he came closer to her and took her into his arms and they began to dance.  
  
"I love you so much" she whispered in his ear, her eyes closed.  
  
"I love you too baby" he said back and held her tighter.  
  
"This is a perfect end to a perfect evening" Buffy said and he looked at her and smirked seductively.  
  
"Oh believe me luv, it's not over yet." 


	17. Daddy

OKAY! I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE ALL THINKING. IT'S BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME SINCE I'VE UPDATED AND I'M SOOOOO SORRY! MY COMPUTER SUCKS RIGHT NOW SO I DON'T HAVE INTERNET OR E-MAIL. I'M UPDATING ON MY COUSIN'S COMPUTER RIGHT NOW. ANYWAY, I HOPE YOU LIKE THE CHAPTER AND AS ALWAYS, R/R!  
  
Buffy slammed her fist down on her alarm clock as her favorite radio station sounded. She laid there for a moment until she remembered that today her father was coming and she had to get things together. She jumped up and seeing that Faith wasn't in bed, she went downstairs to where she was talking with her mom, Dawn and Spike. She smiled at the sight of her boyfriend.  
  
"Hey" she said, making herself known.  
  
"Hey, 'bout time you got up, B" Faith said. "We have to get started on everything."  
  
"Okay, we will" Buffy said, going over to Spike and giving him a kiss.  
  
"Did you sleep well, baby?" he asked, putting his arm around her.  
  
"Mmm, yeah" Buffy said and then whispered in his ear. "Because of you." He smiled at that and she went over to the fridge. "So, what all do we have to do?"  
  
"We have to make dinner and stuff" Faith said.  
  
"Faith, it's only eleven o'clock in the morning," Buffy reminded her sister, retrieving a pitcher of orange juice out of the fridge and pouring herself a glass.  
  
"Well, we should start it at least. Doesn't stuffed cabbage take a while to cook?"  
  
"Don't know, mom?" Buffy asked her mother, but Joyce didn't answer. "Mom?"  
  
"Huh? What's that sweetie?" Joyce asked.  
  
"How long do you cook the stuffed cabbage for?" Buffy asked again.  
  
"Oh, well, you can put it in the crock pot and cook it all day. It's easier that way," Joyce said.  
  
"Mom, are you all right?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I guess, I'm just trying to decide if I should tell your father about the baby or not" Joyce said.  
  
"Well, he's going to find out sooner or later, might as well be sooner, right?" Faith said.  
  
"Maybe you're right" Joyce said.  
  
"It's up to you, mom. If you don't feel comfortable talking to him about it, then don't" Buffy said.  
  
"Yeah, whatever you want to do" Dawn said.  
  
"You have our support" Faith added.  
  
"Thank you girls. What would I do without you?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Well, I'd imagine you'd sleep a lot more" Spike said in jest and Buffy hit him on the arm.  
  
"Well, I think I'll go upstairs and take a nice long hot bath" Joyce said and went upstairs.  
  
"And I'm gonna go get dressed, you be good" Buffy said to Spike.  
  
"Oh, what's the fun in that?" Spike asked and Buffy smiled at him and went upstairs. She wanted to look nice for when her dad came, but she wanted to look like her also. After a while of searching her closet she chose a pair of blue jeans, a pink t-shirt and a gray sweatshirt that had the word 'brat' on the front in pink letters. After getting dressed she curled her hair a bit and put on some makeup. When she was finished she went back downstairs to where Faith had already started cooking.  
  
"Okay, how do I look?" she asked, entering the kitchen.  
  
"Awesome" Faith said.  
  
"Yeah, that shirt defines you perfectly" Spike said, looking at her sweatshirt.  
  
"Shut up" Buffy said playfully.  
  
"B, do you think I should change?" Faith asked, and Buffy looked at what she was wearing. A pair of blue jeans and a black ACDC t-shirt.  
  
"No, you look great" Buffy said. "Okay, what can I do?"  
  
"Uh...you can help me wash the cabbage," Faith said.  
  
"Sounds dirty" Spike joked.  
  
"Would you stop that" Buffy smiled. "You cannot talk like that when my dad comes, you know that, right?"  
  
"'Course I do. I'm not a git," Spike said.  
  
"Faith, Buffy? What can I do?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Dawnie, you can go up and check on mom and ask if she needs anything," Faith said.  
  
"Okay" Dawn said and went upstairs.  
  
Dawn sat at the windowsill watching the cars pass and jumped up when she saw her dad's car pull into the driveway.  
  
"Dad's here!" she said excitedly, opening the door and running out to greet him. "Daddy!"  
  
"Hey, Dawnie" Hank said, picking up Dawn and carrying her into the house.  
  
"Hank, how are you?" Joyce asked.  
  
"I'm doing just fine, Joyce, you?" he asked, putting Dawn down.  
  
"Fine myself" Joyce said.  
  
"Hi dad" Faith said.  
  
"Faith, well, look at you" Hank said, hugging her. "And my little Elizabeth" he hugged her also.  
  
"Hi dad" Buffy said.  
  
"And who's this?" he asked, turning his attention to Spike.  
  
"Daddy, this is my boyfriend William, we call him Spike. Spike, this is my dad, Hank Summers" Buffy introduced them.  
  
"Nice to meet you, sir" Spike said, shaking hands with him.  
  
"You too" Hank said.  
  
"Dad, we're having stuffed cabbage" Dawn told him.  
  
"Mmm, my favorite" Hank said.  
  
"Well, while we're waiting for dinner to be ready, why don't we have a drink" Joyce said.  
  
"Eh-hem" Buffy cleared her throat at her mother.  
  
"A non-alcoholic drink" Joyce assured her.  
  
"Why can't you have alcohol?" Hank asked.  
  
"Uh, l-let's go in here to talk" Joyce said and they all went into the living room. "Hank, I. . .I don't really know how to tell you this, but, here it goes. I'm pregnant."  
  
"You're. . .wow. Uh. . .I. . .I don't really know what to say about that" Hank said. "Who's the father?"  
  
"Someone who I want nothing to do with" Joyce said. "His name's Curtis."  
  
"And he's a jerk" Buffy added.  
  
"It's a long story" Joyce said. "But I am keeping the baby. I just thought that you should know. I mean you were going to find out sooner or later. I thought you should hear it from me."  
  
"Well, this is certainly surprising" Hank said. "Congratulations, not on the jerk part, but everything else."  
  
"Thank you" Joyce said.  
  
Dinner was served a half an hour later and they all ate. After dinner they had dessert and Faith, Buffy, Dawn and Spike cleaned up the kitchen while Joyce and Hank talked. At about 10:00 Hank decided to call it a night.  
  
"I have an early business meeting tomorrow so I'm gonna go" Hank said, kissing his daughters goodbye and shaking Spike's hand. "Spike, take care of my little girl."  
  
"Always" Spike said, looking at Buffy and she smiled at him.  
  
"Joyce, it was nice to see you again" Hank said, kissing her on the cheek.  
  
"You too, Hank" Joyce said. "Next time you're in town, come and visit."  
  
"Count on it. Dinner was great, bye girls" Hank said.  
  
"Bye" Buffy and Faith said in unison.  
  
"Bye daddy" Dawn said and Hank left.  
  
"Ooh, I'm beat. I'm gonna head to bed" Joyce said, going upstairs.  
  
"I'm gonna watch some TV" Faith said.  
  
"Me too" Dawn said and they went into the living room.  
  
Spike and Buffy laid out in the backyard together looking at the stars.  
  
"Did you have a good time?" Buffy asked him.  
  
"Yeah, your dad's a great guy" Spike said.  
  
"Yeah, he is" Buffy said, snuggling into him more. "Do you think everything's going to work out?"  
  
"With what?" Spike asked.  
  
"Everything, mom, us, everything" Buffy said.  
  
"I can't predict the future, luv" Spike said. "I can tell you what I know. I know that I love you, and I know that your mum is one strong bird. If that's enough for things to be fine, then, yeah, they're going to be great."  
  
"I hope so" Buffy said. "I just want the fairytale ending."  
  
"You want it to end with a kiss?" he asked her.  
  
"I want it to end happily ever after" Buffy told him. "But, a kiss is good for now." He leaned over and kissed her on the lips and they continued to lie there. 


	18. Fights and Stuff

OKAY, NEW CHAPTER, ENJOY! R/R  
  
**Six Months Later**  
  
Joyce searched the aisles of the department store. She didn't know exactly what she was looking for, but she had the hankering for a baby outfit. She hadn't bought really anything. Not knowing what she was going to have, she didn't want to buy anything, but she couldn't take it anymore. She had to buy something.  
  
"Hey, mom, whatcha doin'?" Buffy asked as she joined her mother with Faith and Dawn.  
  
"Oh, noting. I was just looking at this stuff," Joyce said.  
  
"You know, mom" Faith said. "If you would just find out if you were having a boy or a girl then you'd be able to buy lots of stuff."  
  
"I know, but I want to be surprised" Joyce said.  
  
"Have you spoken to what's his face?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Who?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Curt" Buffy said. "Has he tried to call you?"  
  
"No" Joyce said plainly.  
  
"Do you want to talk to him? I mean, it's been six months mom. Aren't you upset that he was cheating on you?" Faith asked.  
  
"Well, yes, I'm upset, but technically he wasn't cheating, on me anyway. He was still married, so technically he was cheating on his wife" Joyce said.  
  
"Still doesn't change the fact that he's an ass—" Faith began.  
  
"Faith, watch your mouth" Joyce warned.  
  
"Sorry mom, but he had it coming. In fact, he has a lot coming" Faith said.  
  
"Look, if he doesn't want to be with me, then—" Joyce began.  
  
"Screw him?" Buffy offered.  
  
"For lack of a better phrase, yes" Joyce said and then sighed. "We should go, I have a doctor's appointment in a half an hour."  
  
"Are you okay, mom?" Dawn asked.  
  
"I'm fine, let's go home" Joyce said and she and her three daughters left the department store.  
  
Joyce dropped Buffy off at Spike's before heading home.  
  
"Bye mom, see you later" Buffy said.  
  
"Okay, be home by eleven, have fun" Joyce said.  
  
"Oh, I'm sure she will" Faith joked and Buffy glared at her.  
  
"Bye" Buffy said and Joyce drove away. Buffy walked up to the house and knocked on the door and Jenny answered.  
  
"Hey Jenny, is—" Buffy began, but she was intercepted by the brunette.  
  
"Spike here? Yes, he is" Jenny said and let her in. "He's down in his room."  
  
"Thanks, you look nice, Jenny, where are you off to?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Rupert and I are going out to dinner" Jenny said and Giles came down the stairs.  
  
"Jenny darling, are you ready to— oh, Buffy, what a nice surprise" Giles said. "It's nice to see you."  
  
"You too" Buffy said.  
  
"How's your mother?" he asked her.  
  
"She's hanging in there" Buffy said.  
  
"Well, send my best wishes. We should be off, bye" Giles said.  
  
"Bye, have fun" Buffy said and Giles and Jenny left the house. Once they shut the door, Butt went down to see Spike.  
  
"Hi" Buffy said, shutting the bedroom door.  
  
"Hey luv" Spike said. "What brings you here?"  
  
"I didn't feel like staying home" Buffy said, sitting on his bed. "Whatcha doin'?"  
  
"Nothing much" Spike said. "But I could if you'd. . ." he hinted.  
  
"Hold it cowboy" Buffy said. "Keep your pants on, I did not come here to do it. . .not this time anyway."  
  
"What did you come here for?" Spike asked.  
  
"I don't know, does our relationship always have to be about sex?" she asked, getting a little annoyed.  
  
"Yeah" he joked and she glared at him. He smirked at her. "I'm just kidding, pet, relax."  
  
"I am relaxed," Buffy pouted. "Besides, I'm not the one who's all, tense and stuff."  
  
"I'm not tense" Spike said.  
  
"Really? Then why do you have the 'I'm constipated' look?" she asked.  
  
"Hey! Back off, goldilocks" he hissed.  
  
"Jeez, what's your problem today?" she asked him and he sighed heavily.  
  
"Buffy, I don't feel like fighting with you right now, all right" he said.  
  
"So, what, we're gonna schedule fights now?" she asked sarcastically.  
  
"How's your mum?" he asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Fine, big, but fine. The only thing is, I think she's upset, you know about the whole Curt thing," Buffy told him. "She loved him and he betrayed her. Something I know all to well."  
  
"Yeah, well, what's she going to do about it?" he asked her, turning his chair around to face her.  
  
"Don't know. She hasn't really talked about it" Buffy said.  
  
"Well, that baby's coming in three months, she better decide fast" Spike said and Buffy rolled her eyes at him.  
  
"You're such a guy," she said.  
  
"I like to think that's one of my best qualities" Spike said.  
  
"Spike, you can't just rush into a decision this big, okay. And besides, she doesn't really have a decision to make. Curt cheated on her," Buffy said.  
  
"Not really" Spike said. "I mean, technically, your mum's the other woman."  
  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Well, he was cheating on his wife with Joyce. Can't really blame the fellow for going back to the woman he made his life with" Spike said.  
  
"Are you taking his side?" Buffy asked, getting up and crossing her arms over her chest.  
  
"I'm just sayin'—" Spike began.  
  
"Yeah, I know what you're saying. Where the hell do you get off judging my mother? Your mother isn't even around" Buffy said coldly.  
  
"Well, at least my mother's smart enough to know to use a condom when she screws a guy" Spike said. "At least my mother didn't get knocked up."  
  
"What the hell is the matter with you? Why are you being such an ass?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Because you're being a bint" he told her.  
  
"You know what, I don't need this from you" Buffy said. "My mother is trying her hardest not to fall apart, to stay strong for her unborn child and the three she already has. I've never even met your mother. What effort has she put in?"  
  
"Maybe I haven't told her about you because I knew this wouldn't work out" Spike said crossly to her.  
  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing" he said, turning back around to face his computer.  
  
"No, what are you saying? That you want to break up?" Buffy asked, but he didn't answer. A beat passed before Buffy turned and stormed out of the house. Spike sighed with frustration. He wanted to after her, but his male pride prevented him from doing so. He stayed put and let her go.  
  
Joyce laid in the doctor's office waiting for the doctor to come into the room. It had been only a few minutes, but to Joyce it seemed like forever. Finally the doctor knocked on he door and came into the room.  
  
"Hello, Joyce" he said cheerfully.  
  
"Hi doctor Wallis" Joyce said with a sigh.  
  
"How are you feeling today?" Dr. Wallis asked.  
  
"Oh, tired" Joyce said.  
  
"Where's the rest of the crew today?" Dr. Wallis asked.  
  
"I cut them loose for today. Faith and Dawn are at home watching movies and Buffy is at her boyfriend's house" Joyce said.  
  
"Well, three daughters. Are you hoping for a son this time?" dr. Wallis asked.  
  
"Why? Am I having a son?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Do you really want me to tell you? The last four times I've tried to tell you, you've stopped me" Dr. Walls said.  
  
"No, don't tell me, okay, tell me, no. . .okay, I want to know" Joyce finally decided.  
  
"Are you sure?" Dr. Wallis asked.  
  
"Yeah, tell me" Joyce said.  
  
Joyce arrived home an hour later with a smile on her face. Knowing what she was having put a weird sense of security in her life. She couldn't explain it, but it just made her feel safer. She got out of the car and noticed that Buffy was sitting on the front porch.  
  
"Hi sweetie" Joyce said, coming up to the porch.  
  
"Hi" Buffy pouted.  
  
"What's the matter?" Joyce asked, carefully sitting down next to her daughter.  
  
"Mom, I think that Spike and I are breaking up" Buffy said sadly.  
  
"What? Why? What happened?" Joyce asked.  
  
"We got into this huge argument" Buffy told her. "It was awful. We both said things we didn't mean and. . .I don't want to lose him, mom."  
  
"Oh, honey" Joyce said. "Spike loves you, it's gonna be okay. You'll feel better once you apologize. That is if you're not to stubborn to apologize."  
  
"I can't go over there now. We just had a fight" Buffy said and Joyce smiled at her.  
  
"All the more reason to go" she told her daughter. "If you apologize now, it'll be over with."  
  
"You're right" Buffy sighed. "How was the doctor's appointment?"  
  
"It was great. Before you go over to Spike's come inside. I have something to tell you and your sisters" Joyce said and Buffy got up and helped her mother up and they went into the house.  
  
"Mom, you're back" Dawn said, meeting her by the door. "Is the baby okay?"  
  
"Yes, the baby's fine" Joyce said. "Where's Faith?"  
  
"She's on the phone with someone, Levant something" Dawn said.  
  
"Wait, Levant Taylor?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yeah, that's it" Dawn said.  
  
"Oh, that's good, I told Faith she had a chance" Buffy said.  
  
"Can someone fill me in here, please?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Okay, Levant is this guy that Faith has a crush on and she was afraid that maybe he wouldn't like her, but as usual, I was right, he does" Buffy said and Faith came downstairs. "Hey, have a nice conversation?"  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did" Faith said. "Hey mom, how did the doctor go?"  
  
"I have something to tell you girls" Joyce announced.  
  
"Okay, but later, you're telling me what you talked about" Buffy told Faith and all four of them went into the living room to sit down.  
  
"Is everything okay, mom?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Yes, everything's fine" Joyce said. "Doctor Wallis told me what I was having."  
  
"Really? What is it?" Dawn asked excitedly.  
  
"Well, Faith, Buffy, Dawnie, I'm going to have a baby. . ."  
  
HAHA! CLIFHANGER. WELL, REVIEW AND I'LL UPDATE!


	19. Fervent

"Girls, I'm having a little girl" Joyce told her daughters.  
  
"Another girl, how did I know?" Buffy asked  
  
"Another girl, that's cool" Faith said.  
  
"So, what do you think, Dawnie? You're going to have a baby sister" Joyce said.  
  
"It's nice. I think it's gonna be fun" Dawn said.  
  
"This is great" Buffy said. "Now that we know what it is, we can pick a name and buy clothes."  
  
"I know, it will be much easier" Joyce said.  
  
"I knew you'd cave" Faith told her.  
  
"I think that it was just easier finding out the gender. If we didn't then we'd have to wait to the baby's born to be able to buy things" Joyce said.  
  
"Do you know what you want to name her?" Buffy asked.  
  
"No, not really" Joyce said.  
  
"Well, it has to be something girly, 'cause, Faith, Elizabeth, Dawn, Joyce, they're all girly names. We can't leave her out" Dawn said.  
  
"I know, it'll be girly" Joyce said.  
  
"Yeah, like. . .Danielle or something" Dawn said. "Except not Danielle, 'cause that's another thing, none of our names start with the same letter and we shouldn't give the baby a name that starts with a D, E, F or J."  
  
"Okay" Joyce smiled. "I think I'm gonna go take a nap, I'm feeling really tired."  
  
"I'm gonna go over to Spike's, I can't leave it like this" Buffy said.  
  
"Okay honey, have fun" Joyce said and went upstairs.  
  
"B, what happened between you and Spike?" Faith asked, following her sister into the kitchen, followed by Dawn. Buffy went over to the fridge and got a bottle of water and then got the keys off the key rack.  
  
"We got into this huge argument" Buffy told her.  
  
"You've never fought before" Faith said.  
  
"I know, that's what scares me," Buffy said. "I'll be back later."  
  
"Bye" Faith said and Buffy left the house.  
  
Buffy arrived at Spike's and walked up the stairs and knocked on the door and Spike answered.  
  
"Hey" he said.  
  
"Hi" she said back. "Can I come in?"  
  
"I guess" he said and let her in and she turned to him once he shut the door.  
  
"Spike, did you mean what you said this morning?" she asked.  
  
"No, I didn't" he said.  
  
"I'm sorry" she told him. "I love you, you know that."  
  
"I'm sorry about what I said about your mum" he told her.  
  
"Me too. . .about your mom" Buffy said and hugged him. "Still love me?" she asked and he smiled at her.  
  
"Of course I do, always," he told her and she kissed him, putting her hands around his neck.  
  
"So, you wanna go downstairs?" she asked him.  
  
"To do what?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, I'm sure we can think of something" she said and took his hand and led him to his bedroom.  
  
Spike's alarm clock went off at 9:30 and he groaned as he hit the off button.  
  
"Bloody hell" he mumbled and rolled over to where Buffy was still in bed with him. "Uh-oh, uh. . .Buffy, baby, wake up."  
  
"Hmm?" Buffy asked, her eyes still closed.  
  
"Buffy, wake up" Spike said again and she opened her eyes and they widened.  
  
"Oh my god" she said, jumping out of bed, wrapping herself in a sheet and looking around for her clothing.  
  
"I guess we both over slept" Spike said.  
  
"My mother's gonna kill me" Buffy said, getting dressed.  
  
"Maybe Faith covered for you. I mean she knew you were coming over here right?" Spike asked.  
  
"Yeah, god I hope so. I really don't want my mother to know that I'm having sex, not until I'm married" Buffy said.  
  
"I'm sure it'll be fine, luv" Spike said, getting up and getting dressed also. "We should go, though, I have thing to do."  
  
"What?" Buffy asked as they went upstairs to leave the house.  
  
"Just stuff" Spike said and they got into his car.  
  
"Like?" Buffy prodded and he sighed, annoyed.  
  
"Does it matter?" he asked her.  
  
"Sorry" she said.  
  
"No, it's all right" he said, taking her hand and kissing it. Soon he pulled into her driveway. "I'll call you later okay?"  
  
"Kay" she said and they kissed. "I love you."  
  
"I love you too baby" he said and she got out of the car, afraid to go into the house. Spike drove away and she quietly opened the door, hoping that no one was up yet. She went into the kitchen to get something to eat and Faith came up behind her.  
  
"Have fun last night?" she asked and Buffy turned quickly around.  
  
"Faith, hey" Buffy said. "Does mom know—"  
  
"No, she doesn't know anything. I covered for you" Faith said and Buffy hugged her.  
  
"Oh, I love you" Buffy said.  
  
"I love you too" Faith said, patting her sister on the back.  
  
"So, is mom sleeping?" Buffy asked, taking out the milk and pouring herself a bowl of cocoa pebbles.  
  
"No, she left a half an hour ago. She went took Dawn to the dentist" Faith said.  
  
"Oh" Buffy said, sitting at the island with her cereal.  
  
"Did you and Spike make up?" Faith asked. "Nevermind, don't answer that, obviously you did."  
  
"Actually, I was with Riley" Buffy joked and laughed at Faith's reaction. "Faith, I'm kidding."  
  
"Oh, good" Faith said, getting a spoon out of the drawer and joining her sister at the island. "So, everything's okay with you two?"  
  
"Yeah, we're fine" Buffy said. "And I'm glad, 'cause I'd hate to lose him. I love him way too much to lose him."  
  
"You're not going to lose him" Faith assured her, putting her spoon in the bowl and eating some of the cereal. "He loves you too, and you forget, he had a crush on you before you had one on him."  
  
"I know" Buffy said. "Faith, do you think mom's gonna be okay?"  
  
"She's strong, B. she'll be okay, and we'll be here for her. She doesn't need some dumb guy to get by. Mom's better than him" Faith said.  
  
"I just feel so bad for her. I mean, here she is having to raise a baby and the guy she was in love with betrayed her" Buffy said.  
  
"I know, I feel bad for her too, but we can't change the fact that Curt is an adultery committing asshole. All we can do is be here for her" Faith said. "We all love her, B. everything's gonna be fine."  
  
"I hope so" Buffy said and they finished the cereal and Buffy put the bowl in the dishwasher. "I'm gonna go take a shower."  
  
"Yeah, you do that" Faith said, smiling and Buffy went upstairs.  
  
Joyce was waiting for Dawn in the waiting room and finally she came out.  
  
"Everything okay honey?" Joyce asked.  
  
"Yeah, no cavities" Dawn smiled.  
  
"Good" Joyce said, taking her hand. "Let's get out of here."  
  
"Can we stop for ice cream?" Dawn asked.  
  
"No" Joyce smiled. "You just got your teeth cleaned.  
  
"So" Dawn pouted.  
  
"Tell you what. We'll have ice cream for dessert tonight" Joyce said.  
  
"Okay" Dawn said and they left the dentist's office and got into her car.  
  
"I'm gonna stop at the store before we go home" Joyce told her daughter.  
  
"What do you need?" Dawn asked.  
  
"I wanted to get a baby name book at the store so we can find a name for your baby sister" Joyce said.  
  
"Cool" Dawn said as Joyce pulled into the store parking lot and they got out.  
  
Joyce and Dawn entered the house and Faith and Buffy were sitting on the couch watching TV.  
  
"Hi Buffy, you're awake" Joyce said. "I wanted to ask you if you made up with Spike last night but Faith said you were asleep."  
  
"Oh they made up all right" Faith smirked and Buffy nudged her in the arm.  
  
"Yeah, we're okay" Buffy said.  
  
"Good" Joyce said.  
  
"Hey, you guys. Mom bought a baby name book. She said we can pick the name now" Dawn said as she and Joyce made their way into the living room and sat down.  
  
"Cool" Buffy said and Joyce opened the book.  
  
"Okay, let's see. . ." Joyce said. "Maria?"  
  
"No" Buffy said.  
  
"Uh-uh" Faith said.  
  
"Yuck" Dawn said.  
  
"You're right" Joyce said and turned the page.  
  
"How about we do this. We each pick four names we like and then we can choose from there" Dawn said.  
  
"All right, that sounds like a good idea" Joyce said.  
  
Fifteen minutes later all four girls had their names ready.  
  
"Thank you for doing this girls. I know it's silly" Joyce told her daughters.  
  
"No, it's okay" Buffy said.  
  
"Okay, Buffy, you go first" Joyce said.  
  
"Okay, Lilly, Sara, Meredith and Hailey" Buffy said.  
  
"Cute" Joyce said. "Faith?"  
  
"Okay, Sara, Jennifer, Allie and Leeza" Faith said.  
  
"Those are cute too" Joyce said. "Dawn?"  
  
"All right, Molly, Sara, Abigail and Maggie" Dawn said.  
  
"Nice" Joyce said. "Okay, I have Alexandra, Andrea, Sara and Stephanie."  
  
"Cute mom" Buffy said. "So, how do we choose?"  
  
"Well, I think the most obvious choice is Sara. We all have it on our list" Faith said.  
  
"True" Buffy said.  
  
"I like it" Dawn said.  
  
"Okay, Sara it is" Joyce said.  
  
"But, spelled S-A-R-A" Buffy said. "No H."  
  
"Okay, sounds good, Sara Marissa Summers" Joyce said.  
  
"That's cute" Buffy said.  
  
"Yeah" Dawn said.  
  
"It's perfect" Faith said.  
  
"Buffy, Faith, Dawn and Sara. My four daughters" Joyce said with a smile and put her hands on her stretched belly.  
  
HHHddHdkdkdkdddddd


	20. Baby Shower

OKAY, NEW CHAPTER, YAY!  
  
Today was Joyce's baby shower. A couple weeks had passed and now that Joyce knew what she was having she could have a shower. She stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom looking at her outfit. Just then Buffy and Spike came into the room, hand in hand.  
  
"Mom, you look beautiful," Buffy said, letting go of Spike's hand and going over to her mother. Joyce was wearing a white silk gown that went to the floor. It was pretty, but not too dressy.  
  
"Are you sure I don't look like a big fat—" Joyce began.  
  
"You look great" Buffy assured her.  
  
"Yeah, Joyce. You look radiant" Spike said.  
  
"Well, thank you both" Joyce said. "Buffy, you look wonderful sweetheart." Buffy was wearing a white skirt, which was long and a pink halter top with a white glittery heart in the middle. Her hair was curled and left down.  
  
"Thanks mom" Buffy said. "You should see Faith though. She's wearing a skirt, by choice."  
  
"Really?" Joyce asked. "Oh, I have to see this." Joyce, Buffy and Spike went downstairs to where Dawn and Faith were. Dawn had on a pair of blue jeans with a red long sleeved t-shirt, which had the number 85 on it. Faith was wearing a black skirt, which was about two inches below the knee and frilly at the bottom. She also had on a red and black peasant top. Her hair was put in a ponytail. "Oh, girls, you look great."  
  
"I look like a dumbass," Faith said, looking down at her outfit.  
  
"No you don't, and watch your language" Joyce said. "You all look wonderful."  
  
"Including me?" Spike asked and Buffy and Joyce smiled at him.  
  
"Yes" Joyce said.  
  
"Baby you look great" Buffy told him.  
  
"Thanks" Spike smiled.  
  
"Okay, everyone should be here soon, do we have everything we need?" Joyce asked, heading towards the kitchen. Faith and Buffy quickly stopped her.  
  
"Mom, this is your baby shower, you are not doing anything. Go into the living and relax. Faith and I will do everything, don't worry" Buffy said.  
  
"I want to help" Joyce said.  
  
"The best way you can help is by relaxing. Go" Faith said and Joyce went into the living room and Faith followed. Buffy and Spike went into the kitchen.  
  
"You okay, baby?" he asked her.  
  
"Sure, why wouldn't I be?" she asked.  
  
"You just seem a little distracted or something," he said, coming over and putting his hands around her waist. She leaned back into him and sighed.  
  
"I guess I kinda am," she said. "I don't really know what it is. I mean, I'm excited about this baby. Having another little sister, I just wish my mom didn't feel so sad. I know that she'll never admit it to us, but I know she does."  
  
"She'll be all right, baby. She's a strong lady. And besides, she has three great daughters to help her out" Spike said, kissing her cheek. "You and your sisters have been great. You should just try to relax."  
  
"You're right" Buffy said. "This is my mom's happy day. I promise I'll stop being such a freak about this."  
  
"Just relax" he repeated, turning her around to face him.  
  
"I will," she told him, kissing him lightly on the lips, grabbing a bowl of chips and going into the living room to join her sisters and mother. As she reached the living room the doorbell rang and she backtracked to answer it.  
  
"Hey, Buffy" Willow smiled and walked in with Willow.  
  
"Hey, Will, Tara" Buffy said and began to shut the door, but Cordelia, Anya, Xander and Oz all entered.  
  
"Hey, Buff" Xander said.  
  
"Hey, everyone's in the living room" Buffy said and shut the door.  
  
"Oh, you all are just so nice, coming to an old lady's baby shower and all" Joyce smiled.  
  
"You're not old mom. And, didn't you invite any of your friends?" Faith asked.  
  
"Yes, Marie, Paula and Nancy should be here—" Joyce began, but the doorbell rang. "Now, Dawnie, will you get that, please?"  
  
"Sure, mom" Dawn said and answered the door and three women were standing there.  
  
"Hello" one of the women, the one with blonde hair said.  
  
"Hi, everyone's in there" Dawn said, shutting the door.  
  
"Oh, Paula, Nancy, Marie, nice to see you" Joyce said.  
  
"You too sweetheart" one of the women said.  
  
"How are you?" another one said.  
  
"Fine, thanks" Joyce said. "Oh, everyone these are my friends. This is Marie Carlson" she said as se pointed to the woman with the short brown hair. "This is Nancy Leeson" she said and pointed to the woman with long brown hair. "And this is Paula" she said and pointed to the woman with the blonde hair. "Girls, these are my daughters, Faith, Dawn and Buffy. This is Buffy's boyfriend, Spike. This is Willow, Tara, Xander, Cordelia and Oz."  
  
"Nice to meet you all" Nancy said.  
  
"You too" Faith said.  
  
"Okay, what should we do first?" Joyce asked.  
  
"What do you want to do first?" Buffy asked her mother. "There's games, food, and of course, presents."  
  
"Well, I'd have to say Presents" Joyce said.  
  
"Good choice" Dawn said, sitting next to Joyce.  
  
"Okay, Dawn, Faith and I will go first, here you go" Buffy said, handing Joyce a box wrapped in pink glittery wrapping paper.  
  
"Oh, how pretty" Joyce smiled and opened the box. Inside the box was a bassinette lined with lace. "Oh, look at this" Joyce breathed, looking at the bassinette.  
  
"This goes with it" Dawn said, handing Joyce another package. There was a card attached to it and it read:  
  
To our baby sister,  
  
We welcome you to our family. We have so much love and we would love to share that with you. We love you very much and hope that you're life is filled with nothing but happiness.  
  
Love,  
  
Buffy, Faith and Dawn  
  
Joyce's eyes filled with tears as she read the card. She felt a warm glow of happiness come over her.  
  
"This is beautiful. Thank you girls" Joyce smiled and opened the package. Inside was a pink blanket made of chenille. The blanket had the name Sara Marissa woven in fancy letters. "Oh, it's beautiful."  
  
"You like?" Dawn asked.  
  
"I love it, thank you girls" Joyce said and hugged her daughters.  
  
"Okay, me next" Willow said and handed Joyce a box. Joyce opened it and inside was a pink pair of overalls with a white t-shirt that had a pink bow on it.  
  
"Oh, this is so cute" Joyce said. "Thank you, Willow."  
  
"You're welcome" Willow smiled.  
  
The baby shower was over at about eight-o'clock and everyone cleared out except for Spike. He stayed behind to help clean up.  
  
"That was the best time I've had in a long time. Thank you all" Joyce said and hugged her daughters and Spike. "I'm gonna go up to bed. I'm beat. Goodnight."  
  
"Night mom" Faith said.  
  
"Good night mommy" Dawn said.  
  
"Night" Buffy and Spike said at the same time and Joyce went upstairs.  
  
"I should go baby. I'll see you tomorrow" Spike said and kissed Buffy.  
  
"Okay, I love you" Buffy said and he kissed her again.  
  
"I love you too" he said and left the house.  
  
"Well, this has been quite a day" Buffy said hooking her arms with Dawn's and Faith's and all three went into the living room and sat down.  
  
"Yep. I'm glad mom had a good time" Faith said.  
  
"Me too" Dawn said.  
  
"Yeah, this baby is a blessing. Even if the guy that gave it to her is a big fat jerk" Buffy said and Faith and Dawn laid their heads on Buffy's shoulders. Buffy put her arms around her sisters.  
  
"Another sister. I wonder what it's gonna be like" Dawn said.  
  
"Don't know" Faith said. "But it's defiantly gonna be interesting."  
  
"Yeah, god help mom" Buffy joked and all three girls laughed. 


	21. Unforeseen

Buffy and Faith walked into the school and found their friends. School had started that very day and they were now seniors.  
  
"Hey guys. Can you believe it? We're seniors!" Willow squealed.  
  
"Coffee?" Buffy asked and Willow smiled, holding up her coffee cup. "Will, we've talked about this."  
  
"Caffeine helps me focus" Willow said.  
  
"And climb the walls?" Faith asked.  
  
"I like school. This is so cool" Willow said.  
  
"Yeah, definitely has it's perks" Xander said and Spike came up behind Buffy and put his arms around her waist.  
  
"Hey baby" he said, kissing her cheek.  
  
"Hi" Buffy said happily.  
  
"How's your mom, guys?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"She's great. Getting a little antsy, but she's good" Faith said.  
  
"When's she gonna have the baby?" Tara asked.  
  
"The doctors say any day now. She'll be nine months pregnant in a week so we'll see" Buffy said and the bell rang. "Crap, we gotta go." Buffy took Spike's hand and they proceeded to their first class.  
  
"God I hate history" Spike said.  
  
"Look on the bright side, baby. We got the class together," Buffy told him and he smiled at her.  
  
"Guess that's a good thing" Spike said as they entered their classroom. They took seats next to each other and the teacher came into the room.  
  
"Hello, I'm Mr. Lockley, welcome to world history."  
  
The day ended and Faith went home while Buffy went home with Spike. Giles and Jenny were on a cruise and wouldn't be back until the following week so Buffy and Spike could be alone.  
  
"So, how'd you like your first day?" Buffy asked, sitting on Spike's bed. He shut the door and came over to the bed and crawled over to her.  
  
"I don't really want to talk about school," he said, moving closer to her, pushing her onto the pillows and kissing her.  
  
"Mmm" she moaned, pulling him closer. He moved from her mouth to her neck and she closed her eyes. "Don't stop."  
  
"Don't worry," he told her. "I won't."  
  
Buffy sighed with relaxation as she snuggled into Spike. He smiled at her and held her tighter.  
  
"That gets better every time we do it" she told him.  
  
"Well, we do it enough" he said and she giggled.  
  
"Not getting bored are you?" she asked.  
  
"Definitely not" he said and her cell began to ring. She groaned and reached over him to his nightstand and picked it up and answered it.  
  
"Hello?" she asked.  
  
"Buffy, mom's going into labor. Get down to the hospital" Faith said and she sat up quickly.  
  
"Are you sure?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yes" Faith said.  
  
"Okay, I'll be there, see ya" Buffy said and hung up the phone and quickly got out of bed.  
  
"What is it, luv?" Spike asked as he too got out of bed. Buffy quickly dressed.  
  
"Uh, my mom's in the hospital. She's having the baby. Can you take me down there?" Buffy asked him.  
  
"Sure" Spike said, getting dressed also.  
  
Buffy and Spike arrived at the hospital and rushed to the labor and delivery floor.  
  
"Joyce Summers?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Room 38A" the receptionist said and Buffy and Spike found the room and entered.  
  
"Hi mom" Buffy said, going over to her mother's side and kissing her on the cheek. "How are you?"  
  
"Oh, all right" Joyce sighed. "Happy, very happy."  
  
"Well, you should be. Your baby's gonna be born today" Buffy said.  
  
"Well, the doctor said I'm only three centimeters dilated so it's gonna take a while" Joyce said.  
  
"It's okay, we can wait" Buffy said as Spike sat down and Buffy crawled into his lap.  
  
A couple hours passed and Joyce has still not gone into labor.  
  
"Mommy, I'm hungry" Dawn said.  
  
"Well, Faith, Buffy, will you take Dawn to the cafeteria to get something to eat? In fact, you should all get something" Joyce said.  
  
"Are you sure?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Yes, go, it's okay" Joyce said.  
  
"But what if you have the baby when we're gone?" Faith asked.  
  
"Honey, I'm only five centimeters dilated, it's gonna be fine, go" Joyce said.  
  
"Okay, we'll be back in a few" Buffy said and she, Spike, Faith and Dawn left the room.  
  
"So baby, what do you want? I'm paying" Spike asked.  
  
"Aw, you don't have to do that" Buffy said.  
  
"No problem, I'm paying for everyone" Spike said.  
  
"Thank you" Buffy said.  
  
After they ate they all went back to the room and there were more doctors and nurses there than there were before.  
  
"What's going on?" Faith asked.  
  
"We need to get her down to the OR, now" one of the doctors said and they began to wheel Joyce out.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" Buffy asked. "Mom?"  
  
"It's gonna be okay honey" Joyce said and they wheeled her out. Faith stopped one of the doctors to find out what had happened.  
  
"Excuse me, what's happening?" she asked.  
  
"Your mother's labor took an unexpected turn. We need to do an emergency C-section" the doctor said and left the room.  
  
"Oh my god" all three girls and Spike said at the same time.


	22. Little Miracle

Buffy was pacing back and forth in the waiting room. Faith had taken Dawn to the bathroom and Spike had stayed with Buffy. Buffy was getting more and more anxious by the minute. As she continued to pace Spike watched her.

"Buffy? Buff...Buffy, would you stop that, please?" Spike asked, annoyed. "Jeez, sit the hell down." Buffy stopped pacing, but she didn't sit, she didn't look at Spike either.

"I'm scared," she said quietly. Spike's hard expression changed and he stood up.

"I'm sorry baby," he said.

"I'm so scared" Buffy said, teary-eyed and he hugged her.

"It's gonna be okay" he told her and she let out a small sob. It had been only a few minutes, but it seemed like a lifetime to Buffy. Faith and Dawn came back a couple seconds later.

"What happened? Have you heard anything?" Faith asked.

"Is the baby okay?" Dawn asked.

"We don't know. They haven't come out yet" Buffy said, wiping away the tears.

"Oh, honey" Faith said, hugging her sister. "Everything's gonna be okay."

"God I hope so" Buffy said, trying to hold back more tears. Just then the doctor came out and everyone quickly turned around.

"Is everything okay?" Faith asked.

"Your mother's doing fine" the doctor said.

"And the baby?" Buffy asked.

"The baby had to be taken to the NICU. He's in distress and he needed to be given oxygen" the doctor said.

"Wait, he? No, my mom had a girl" Buffy said.

"No, she had a boy. Six pounds seven ounces" the doctor said.

"A boy? Is he gonna be okay?" Faith asked.

"We're not sure. He's gonna need a tube down his throat to help him breathe and eat. Only time will tell" the doctor said.

"Well, can we see our mother?" Buffy asked.

"Not quite yet. We stitched her up, but we're not quite finished yet. Once we take her back to her room, you'll be able to see her" the doctor said.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Dawn asked.

"She'll be fine" the doctor said and went back into the room. Buffy and Faith sighed with relief and Faith and Dawn sat down. Buffy hugged Spike.

"A boy, can you believe it?" Buffy asked.

"No, we're gonna have to exchange all that stuff. He doesn't even have a name" Faith said.

"We can deal with that later. I just hope he's gonna be okay. I mean, the doctor said nothing about any distress signs" Buffy said.

"I wanna see mom" Dawn said.

"I know, Dawnie. We'll see her in a little bit" Faith said, putting her arm around her.

About a half an hour the doctor came out and told them that they could see Joyce.

"Hi mom" Buffy said, going to her mother's side along with her sisters.

"Hi girls, hi Spike" Joyce said.

"Hey Joyce" Spike said.

"How are you?" Dawn asked.

"Oh, I'm doing okay" Joyce said. "I had a boy."

"I know, we heard. Is he cute?" Faith asked.

"Oh, he's very cute" Joyce said. "I'm worried about him."

"If he's as strong as you are, Joyce, he'll be okay" Spike said.

"I wish we could see him" Dawn said.

"Oh, you'll be able to soon, honey" Joyce assured her.

"He needs a name, you know" Buffy said. "Do you have any idea what you're going to call him? I mean, you can't exactly call him Sara Marissa anymore."

"That's true" Joyce smiled. "I don't know. I didn't think of any boy names."

"Well, it's okay, we'll have time" Faith said.

"Yeah" Joyce said. "You girls, and Spike, you too. You all should go home, get some rest."

"No, we're not leaving you. We can sleep here" Buffy protested.

"Well, at least go home and change into some more comfortable clothing then" Joyce said.

"Okay, fine. We'll bring that baby name book too" Buffy said.

"You call us if anything happens, promise?" Faith asked.

"I promise, now go" Joyce said and they left.

Buffy told Spike to go home and get some sleep and he agreed and said that he would be back the next morning. Buffy, Faith and Dawn went home and changed into their pajamas and packed a change of clothes for the next morning. They also got their mother some things and got the baby name book so they could name their baby brother.

About an hour later they arrived back at the hospital dressed more comfortably. They quietly entered their mother's room because she was asleep.

"Why did this happen?" Dawn asked quietly and snuggled next to Buffy on the couch that was in the room. Buffy put her arm around her.

"I don't know, sweetie," Buffy told her. "Try to get some rest, okay." Dawn closed her eyes and went to sleep.

"I want to see the baby" Faith said.

"Me too, but I don't know when we can" Buffy said and the doctor came into the room to check Joyce's vitals.

"Doctor Wallis, when can we see the baby?" Faith asked him.

"Well, suppose you can now if you wanted. His under oxygen right now so you can't hold him, but you can see him if you wanted" Dr. Wallis said.

"Okay" Buffy said and she and Faith followed Dr. Wallis to the NICU. First they put on gowns and then they went into the room and over to a incubator that had the name Baby Summers.

"This is him" Dr. Wallis said.

"Oh my god. He's so beautiful" Buffy said, coming closer to the incubator. "Look at him."

"He's gorgeous" Faith said. "Hi little guy. We promise that you'll have a name soon."

"We love you little boy," Buffy said. "God, look at him."

"Be strong little guy" Faith said. "Please be strong."

"I'm sorry, but that's gonna have to be all for right now" the doctor said and Faith and Buffy blew kisses to their baby brother and left the room and went back to their mother's room. Joyce was now awake and sitting up.

"Girls, where've you been?" Joyce asked.

"We saw the baby. He's so cute" Buffy said.

"Isn't he" Joyce said. "He still needs a name though."

"What about Quinn?" Buffy asked.

"Quinn, that's a cute name. Where'd you come up with that?" Joyce asked.

"I remembered it in this book, let me see..." Buffy said, searching for the name. "Oh, here, it means fifth. He's the fifth person in the house."

"Well, that's clever. Quinn, I like it" Joyce said. "What do you think, Faith?"

"I like it too" Faith said.

"But Quinn what?" Buffy asked.

"Quinn Julian" Faith said.

"Nice, I like that a lot" Joyce said. "Quinn Julian Summers."

"Where'd you get that?" Buffy asked Faith.

"Don't know. I've just always liked that name" Faith said.

"Okay, Quinn Julian it is" Joyce said and Dawn woke. "Hey, honey."

"Hi, is everything okay?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah, we have a name for the baby" Buffy said.

"You do?" Dawn asked a little disappointed. "What is it?"

"Quinn Julian" Faith said.

"Oh, that's cute" Dawn said. "Have you seen him?"

"Yeah, we have" Buffy said. "Sorry we didn't wake you, but..."

"When can I see him?" Dawn asked.

"Well, I'll ask the doctor. We could all go into the NICU" Joyce said and pushed the call button and the nurse came into the room.

"Yes Ms. Summers?" she asked.

"Is it all right if my daughters and I go into the NICU and see my son?" Joyce asked.

"Of course" the nurse said. "You'll have to wash up and put on gowns."

Buffy wheeled Joyce as they followed the nurse to the NICU and washed up and put on gowns. They entered the room and went over to Quinn's incubator.

"Oh, look at him" Dawn smiled. "He's perfect."

"Yes he is" Joyce said, putting her hand in to stroke the baby's. "How's he doing?" she asked the nurse.

"He's doing great. The doctor said that he'd probably be able to go home in a couple days" the nurse said.

"That's great" Buffy said.

"Do you have a name for him?" the nurse asked. "We could put it here so everyone knows who he is."

"Yeah, his name is Quinn. Quinn Julian Summers" Joyce said.

"Quinn, that's a cute name" the nurse said and handed Joyce a sign. "Would you like to write it?"

"Sure" Joyce said and wrote Quinn Julian on the sign and the nurse hung it above the incubator.

"There, now everyone knows who he is" the nurse said.

"Can I hold him?" Joyce asked.

"I don't see why not" the nurse said and took the baby out and handed him to Joyce. He still had the feeding tube and IV in him and he was sleeping.

"Oh, hi baby boy. This is your mommy. Oh, you are so precious" Joyce smiled. "I can't wait to take you home and take care of you."

"Mom, can I...?" Buffy asked.

"Of course, sweetheart" Joyce said and handed Quinn to Buffy.

"Me next" Faith said.

"Then me" Dawn said.

"Hi little man" Buffy said. "God, look at you. You are so handsome, yes you are. Wait until Spike sees him."

"Where is, Spike?" Joyce asked.

"I told him to go home and get some sleep. He's been great" Buffy said.

"That's a good boyfriend you got there" Joyce said.

"Okay, me now" Faith said and Buffy kissed the baby and handed him to Faith.

"Hey little one. You know, it's gonna be hectic, living with four girls, but you'll manage, 'cause we love you very much" Faith said. "He looks like you, mom."

"Yeah, he does" Joyce smiled.

"Me now" Dawn said and Faith kissed the baby and handed him to Dawn.

"Okay, support his head" Joyce said. "There you go."

"Hi, Quinn. You are so cute" Dawn said. "I'm your big sister Dawn and this is Buffy and Faith, your other two big sisters. We can't wait to take you home forever."

"I'm sorry, but you're gonna have to come back later. Visiting hours are over" the nurse said. "You can come back later."

"Okay, honey" Joyce said. "Give the baby here." Dawn kissed him and handed him to Joyce who kissed him and handed him to the nurse who put him back in the incubator. Faith wheeled Joyce back to her room and the girls helped her into bed.

"Mom, when can we take Quinn home?" Dawn asked.

"In a couple days, honey" Joyce said. She was getting very tired and Buffy and Faith could see this.

"Uh, Dawnie, let's go take a walk okay" Buffy said. "Let's let mom get some rest."

"Oh, you girls don't have to go" Joyce said.

"It's okay, you rest" Faith said and she, Buffy and Dawn left the room. Joyce laid her head on the pillows and closed her eyes.

Buffy, Faith and Dawn went into the waiting room and sat on the sofa.

"He's so perfect" Buffy said and Dawn laid her head on Buffy lap and Faith laid her head on Buffy's shoulder.

"Yes he is" Faith said and shut her eyes. All three girls were tired also.

"I..." Dawn yawned. "I want to take him home."

"Me too, Dawnie" Buffy yawned.

"We will" Faith said. Five minutes later all three girls were asleep.


	23. Quinn

NEW CHAPTER, BE HAPPY!

"Buffy? Baby, wake up" Spike said and softly shook her. Buffy, Faith and Dawn had slept the whole night in the hospital waiting room.

"Hmm? What?" Buffy asked and opened her eyes to find Spike and smiled. "Hey."

"Hey, how're you doing?" he asked and sat next to Faith. Dawn and Faith were both still asleep.

"Okay, my mom's okay, the baby's okay, everything's going fine. I just hope it stays that way," Buffy said.

"Good" Spike said. "Have you seen him?"

"Yeah, he's beautiful" Buffy said and Spike smiled and Faith woke.

"Hey" she said to Spike and looked around. "God, my neck."

"I know, these chairs suck" Buffy said and her stomach growled. "And my tummy's hungry."

"Come on, luv. We can go down to the cafeteria" Spike said and stuck out his hand. "Faith, you wanna wake the bit and come with us?"

"I'll eat later, and I'll let Dawn sleep for a little longer" Faith said.

"Okay" Buffy said and she and Spike headed for the cafeteria. Faith got up and went into her mother's room and Joyce was awake.

"Faith, hi" Joyce said.

"Hey, mom" Faith said and sat at the foot of her bed. "How are you?"

"I'm doing okay. Where's Buffy and Dawn?"

"Buffy's at the cafeteria with Spike and Dawn's still asleep" Faith told her.

"Oh, well that's good" Joyce said. "You know, you should go eat something."

"I will. I'm not really hungry right now," Faith said. "I'll eat when Dawn wakes up."

"Okay, if you're sure" Joyce said.

"I'm sure," Faith said.

Buffy and Spike made their way to the cafeteria, ordered their food and sat at a table. Buffy picked at the eggs and hash browns she had on her plate.

"Baby? You okay?" Spike asked as he took a drink from his cup.

"Mmm-hmm" Buffy said, still playing with the food.

"Buffy" Spike said and she looked up at him.

"Oh, sorry, I was just thinking" Buffy said and took a bite of her food.

"About?" Spike asked.

"I don't know. It just seems so weird. I mean, I never thought a year ago that I'd be sitting here with you at a hospital waiting to see if my new baby brother's gonna be okay" Buffy said and Spike chuckled. "I mean, when you moved to Sunnydale, I thought, 'Oh, he's hot', but I never thought that we'd be together." Spike smirked at that remark. "What?"

"You thought I was hot?" he asked, still smirking.

"Duh" she said and smiled at him. "It's just weird to know how blindsided we all got. About everything."

"Well of course it's gonna seem that way. You can't predict the future luv. If you could you'd me a millionaire by now" Spike said. "Are you sorry about anything?"

"No, of course not. I love my new baby brother, and I love you, more than you will ever know" Buffy said and he leaned over the table and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"I love you too," he said.

Buffy and Spike finished their breakfast and headed back to labor and delivery to see if Joyce was awake. Dawn had woken up by then and she and Faith were in with Joyce.

"Hi, mom" Buffy said and kissed Joyce on the cheek.

"Hi honey, hi, Spike" Joyce said.

"Hey" Spike said.

"How are you feeling?" Buffy asked Joyce.

"I'm okay," Joyce said.

"How's Quinn?" Buffy asked.

"The doctor's haven't said anything since yesterday. When the doctor comes into the room I'll ask him. Yesterday they said he was doing great" Joyce said.

"Well, as long as he stays that way" Buffy said and the doctor came into the room.

"Oh, Dr. Wallis, how's Quinn doing?" Joyce asked.

"Quinn's just fine" Dr. Wallis said. "He's not quite ready to go home yet, but he's doing great."

"Good" Joyce said. "Can you predict when I'll be able to take him home?"

"I'd say in about four days, depending on if his recovery rate keeps at this speed" Dr. Wallis said. "You can go home tomorrow."

"Wait, I don't want to leave my baby" Joyce said.

"I know, but we need the room for other patients. You can come any time to visit him, day or night, but you're going to have to go home, I'm sorry" Dr. Wallis said.

"It's okay, mom" Buffy said. "We'll be here everyday keeping an eye on him, don't worry."

"I know, I just hate to leave him" Joyce said and Faith pushed the hair out of her face.

"He's strong like you, mom. He's gonna be okay" she told her.

"Well, you're in good shape, Joyce. You'll be released tomorrow morning, around nine-thirty" Dr. Wallis said and left the room.

"You wanna go see Quinn, mom?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, let's go" Joyce said and slowly got up with the help of Faith and they all went to the NICU.

"Hello, Ms. Summers" the nurse said. "Who's all going in?"

"Everyone" Joyce said.

"Okay, everyone has to put on gowns and wash up" the nurse said and they did so and went into the room. "Okay, here we go. Quinn, mama's here to see you." The nurse handed the infant to Joyce and she smiled at him.

"Hi little guy" Joyce said and kissed his head. "Mommy has to go home tomorrow, but I'll be here everyday to see you. I promise you'll come home soon."

"He's so cute" Spike said.

"Isn't he" Buffy said. "There's school tomorrow. We could skip it if—"

"No, you all are going to school. You can come and visit Quinn when school lets out" Joyce said.

"Can I hold him?" Faith asked.

"Then me" Buffy said.

"Me after Buffy" Dawn said and Joyce handed the baby to Faith.

"Hey Quinn. God look at you, you look just like mommy, yes you do" Faith talked to the baby. "You're gonna come home soon and we're gonna take care of you. We're gonna teach you to play basketball and baseball and football. You have a lot of people who love you little brother." Faith kissed the baby and handed him to Buffy.

"Hi Quinn" Buffy said. "I know it must seem scary, but it's gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay. And then you can come home and be with your family forever. And you're gonna fit right in." After kissing the baby she handed him to Dawn and cuddled on Spike who put his arm around her.

"Hi Quinny" Dawn said in baby talk. "Look at you. You are so cute. You know I was a little upset when mommy first told me she was having a baby, but who couldn't love you. You are the cutest little boy I have ever seen." Dawn kissed the baby and handed him back to Joyce.

"Spike, do you want to hold him?" Joyce asked.

"Uh. . ." Spike said a little uncertain.

"It's okay, baby" Buffy said.

"Sure" Spike said and Joyce handed him the baby. "Hey, kid. You know, you may not have a brother, but if you ever want to talk about guy stuff, you can come to me. I know it's gonna be a little awkward talking to your sisters about man stuff, so just come to me. After all, I am a man." Spike kissed Quinn on the forehead and handed him back to Joyce. Buffy smiled at him and cuddled on him again.

"Girls, Spike, would you mind if I had a couple minutes with Quinn?" Joyce asked.

"No, not at all, we'll go home and change and take showers and stuff. You be alone with your baby" Buffy said.

"We'll be back later" Faith said and they left the room. Joyce carried little Quinn over to a rocking chair and sat down and began to rock him.

"Hi Quinn" she said. "Let's make a deal okay. If you promise to be okay, I'll promise to give you the best life I can. I just want to take you home little boy. You're my only son, and I love you more than you will ever know. More than I can tell you, but I promise to let you know as best I can. Just be okay, please" Joyce began to cry as she continued to rock the baby.

Faith and Dawn went home while Spike and Buffy went to his place. Buffy had clothes there so she decided to shower there. After taking a shower she came into Spike's room to dress and he was on his computer.

"Whatcha doin'?" she asked, drying herself off and dressing in a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt.

"Just checking my e-mail" Spike said and turned to face her. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just really tense" Buffy said, rubbing her neck.

"Well, let's see what we can do about that" Spike said coming over to her. "Come sit over here." He patted the bed and she sat in front of him and he began to rub her shoulders.

"That feels so good" she told him, closing her eyes.

"God, you are tense" Spike said and continued to massage her shoulders.

"Mmm" Buffy said and leaned back into him. "I'm so sleepy."

"Well, go to sleep, baby" Spike said.

"I don't know, I'm thinking I should go back to the hospital" Buffy said.

"Baby, just get some sleep. You need a good rest, just lay here and sleep for a while, okay," Spike told her and she crawled up to the pillows and got under his comforter. He tucked her in and kissed her forehead.

"I love you" she said yawned sleepily and he smiled at her.

"I love you too, baby" he said and went to leave the room.

"Wait" she said and he turned back around.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Will you lay here with me?" she asked.

"Sure" he said and crawled into bed with her and she snuggled against him. "Go to sleep."

"Kay" she said and closed her eyes.


	24. Author's note

HEY GUYS! I'LL BE UPDATING AGAIN SOON, I PROMISE, BUT I JUST HAVE TO GET MY INTERNET FIXED, MAYBE I'LL UPDATE HERE AT SCHOOL, BUT GUESS WHAT. IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TODAY, December 3, 2004, I'M FINALLY 18, FINALLY LEGAL! YAY!


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